


Nico Di Angelo and The Ring of Hades (Book 1)

by orphan_account



Series: The Nico di Angelo Chronicles [1]
Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-03
Updated: 2016-10-03
Packaged: 2018-08-19 06:34:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Underage
Chapters: 24
Words: 22,934
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8193886
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: When Nico wakes up one morning without his fathers' ring, his life takes a miserable turn. When Chiron issues a quest to find the ring, Nico and three friends go out on an adventure to find the power source. This story is full of mystic turns, dramatic scenes,  and death-defying moments. Not to mention the enemy that's toying with him...





	1. The Problem

**Author's Note:**

> before you read this just know that this was my fIRST FANFIC okay??? it like has really good ratings on wattpad so i was like eh why not??? pls don't judge, again this is my FIRST FANFIC so i was like...two years younger???? but yeah, i hope i've improved on m writing. and yes, percy is not with annabeth (although percabeth is my otp fite me helen) so like be warned okay  
> enjoy pls

I woke to the sound of thunder. But not just any thunder. Jason's thunder. It was annoying so I said to him, "Jason! What the Hades are you doing at 6:00 in the morning?" Jason looked at me with a look that obviously said _are you kidding me?_

"Nico, it's 1:30 in the afternoon," Jason said, his eyebrows raised.

"Yeah, well I-" I didn't get to finish my sentence because Jason zapped me out of my bunk. Once I got myself back on the bunk, I laid down thinking it was over. Well, it wasn't. Percy decided it was a good idea to join the party.

"Percy, what the Hades are _you_ doing here?" I asked. He looked at me, then to Jason, then back at me. Then he and Jason thought the same thing. Percy blasted me with salt water, while Jason did the same but with lightning. They both laughed at the same time, while I was stuck on my bed, still in shock. Percy shrugged, like it was okay to nearly drown me on camp grounds.

"Percy aren't you supposed to be i n the Athena cabin right now, with _Skylar?"_ I emphasized "Skylar" so he would be embarrassed in front of Jason.

"Burn," Jason said to Percy.

"Aren't you supposed to be in my cabin with my sister?" Percy countered.

"Ohhh! Double burn!" Jason said waving his finger around.

"Jason, where in this story do you come in?" Percy and I ask at the same time.

"Hey! I have a girlfriend to, you know!" He shouted, almost hurt.

"Yeah. A daughter of Aphrodite girlfriend. They always get the guys," I told him. Jason's girlfriend, Piper, is an awesome daughter of Aphrodite. She's a whole lot different than the other children if Aphrodite.

"Anyway," Percy said awkwardly. "I have a class with, um, Chiron."

It was so obvious that he was eager to get out of here and run to Skylar. Jason looked at me and said, "Why don't you use your brain, and go run to Aqua?"

I gave him my evil eye. It was silent for like 5 seconds when I said, "Dude, this is my cabin. I can stay here all day. And Aqua was invited here."

"Yeah. Sure she was," Jason said skeptically. I rolled my eyes, then looked at Jason and said, "You should prepare yourself." He looked at me, a little fear in his electric eyes.

"Uhh, for what?" He asked.

"This," I said. I snapped my fingers, an evil smile on my lips. The smile on my face washed away when I noticed Jason still standing there.

"What the Underworld just happened?" Jason questioned.

"Well, Superman, that was supposed to teleport you to the Underworld, but apparently it's not working," I explained.

"How's it powered?" He replied.

"My ring. The one with the skull on it," I said. Jason nodded slowly.

"That's called the Ring of Hades," he said to me. "Um, Nico, we have a _huge_ problem. I think we lost the ring."


	2. The Question

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> look guys i was like 11 or 12 when i wrote this pls dont judge me it was also based off of my cousins dream (loosely) so like that's why it's weird af

I was hanging out with Percy and Skylar, when Aqua came running to me. Gods, she was the most beautiful girl I've ever seen.

"Hey, Nico!" She called. She had the loveliest voice in the world, it sounded like a muse singing.

"Hi Water-Girl," I said giving her a light welcome kiss. In case you didn't know, Aqua is my girlfriend. But all that might change tonight.

As Percy and Skylar were talking, I barged in for a moment. I approached and asked Sky if I could steal Percy for a second. 

"Percy? Can I ask you something?" I asked. I was so nervous, I was shaking a lot. And it was noticeable. 

"What is it Nico? And why are you shaking like a scared leaf?" He asked slightly annoyed.

"Uhh-gods this hard-I, uhh-" Percy interrupted me, "Nico, spit it out already!" He said.

"Ugh. Fine. Can I um-marry your sister?" Percy looked stunned. I was waiting for the fight, but Percy just said, "Umm, fine, knock yourself out." He didn't even smile. In fact, he mumbled the answer. _Phew!_ Wait, no, I need a ring...Whoops!

"Nico, quick question," Percy said.

"Yeah?" I asked a little scared.

"When and where do you plan on doing this?" Percy asked.

"Tonight and I still don't know where," I replied.

"Ok," he said, walking with me to our girlfriends. I caught a glimpse at my beautiful Aqua. Her sea-foam green eyes glinting in the sunlight. Her reddish-brown hair in its usual beach wave style. She looked nothing like Percy, that's one of the reasons I love her. She's so independent and is her own person. She's funny, she loves me. Oh, there so many reasons why I love Aqua.

"Hello again, my little Starfish," I said playing with a tendril of her hair.

"Hi Nico." She didn't sound too excited.

"What is it? I asked.

"Let's get back to my cabin, and then I'll tell you. Ok?" She said.

"'Kay. But please tell me everything," I said.

When we returned to the Poseidon cabin, I stood there with my mouth wide open. I only had a few bunks,  everything was dark, the windows had dark curtains, and it was so much smaller than this. Then a voice snapped me back to reality.

"Come to my bunk, Nico. Percy hates it when people are hangi ng around his corner without permission. Tyson just has the world's largest landslide of stuff. We can't find his bed, but I'm pretty sure it's there somewhere."

"Where's Percy?" I asked curiously. 

"He's having an archery with Sky," she replied.

"Oh. So what's up?"

"Ok, so Nico, you know how Percy and I's relationship is like, good and stuff?" I nodded. He was pretty protective of Aqua sometimes.

"Well, Nico, he's not talking to me! Do you by any chance know what's happening to Percy?" She looked on the verge of crying her heart out.

"I'm sorry Water-Girl, I don't." I felt bad telling her the partial truth. Maybe it was asking him to marry Aqua. What can I say, she stole my heart first.

In about 2 hours, Percy came back. His face would've been priceless if it wasn't directed at me. He walked to the mini-fridge, grabbed a water bottle,  dropped his bow and quiver, and watched me leave. As I was walking out, I heard Aqua saying to Percy:

"What the Underworld! Percy! Please talk to me!"

I didn't hear the rest because I sprinted then shadow traveled home. Not camp. The Underworld. 


	3. The Party

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> if any of you stay till the end you get cookies

"OMG! NICO! NICO!" Screeched Silena. "You have to come to my party! Aqua going to be there." Oh. My. Gods. I just hatched the perfect idea.

"Sure, Silena. I'll be there," I replied cool on the outside, jumping on the inside. I looked toward the Poseidon dining table. Aqua was staring at me, half smiling, half laughing. She looked cute when she smiled.

"Okay, bye Nico!" Silena Saif bouncing off. Then I saw and heard her at the Athena table, saying:

"Hey Skylar! Girl, I'm having a party at my place. Can you come, please?" She asked Sky.

"Sure Silena!" Then Silena said:

"Don't worry dear! I invited Percy. Now you can have quality party time together since to you both have different free times, so there you go!" While Silena was bouncing around Skylar, she was blushing a cherry red color. The Athena cabin was yelling,  "OOOOOHHHHHHH!" to Skylar. Poor Sky.

Next was the Poseidon cabin.  When Silena jumped to their table, Percy nearly ducked under it. Maybe because of Silena being loud and clear when saying, "Don't worry, invited so and so just for you!" Now that's embarrassing.

"Hey, Percy, Aqua and Tyson! Oh, Percy, I invited Skylar for you; Aqua, I invited Nico, and Tyson-" He looked at Silena with his big brown eye. "-you can come to." She bounced away.

Man! Silenas' party was _**HUGE!**_ People were dancing everywhere, when I saw _it. Skylar._ She was literally going crazy on a bed dancing like no tommorrow. Whoa! That girls needs to stop drinking hyper-juice. I was waiting for Aqua in the meeting spot we chose, (the corner) when I saw her. She looked better than Aphrodite at a beauty pageant. Aqua had a loose black shirt tied in a knot on the right side of her waist. Her shorts were high waisted andblack, with large gold buttons on the sides. She had suede black ankle boots. Her hair was in a side braid. Man she looked good!

I closed my eyes for a second and she disappeared.  Then hands were on my eyes.

"Guess who," said a voice that had a melody like ring to it. It was Aqua.

"Skylar?" I guessed.

"No silly, guess again," she said. Gods I loved hearing her voice.

"Um, Aqua?" I guessed again.

"You've got it," she said releasing her hands. Then something appeared about 10 feet behind her. The smile on my face melted away a bit. It was Percy. When Aqua looked over her shoulder, she shooed him away.

"Aqua, can I ask you something outside?" I asked petrified. 

"Sure," she replied. She held my hand while we walked to the Aphrodite cabin porch. When we got to the part of the beach where the sun was setting and you could just make out our shadows, we heard a high-pitched scream.


	4. The Engagment

 

We looked back and saw who it was. Four Aphrodite girls and Skylar came running to the railing far enough away, but still distracting me.

"Aqua, can you like not run away at the moment?" I asked hoping she would obey.

"Why would I run?" She questioned. I didn't answer. Instead, I got down on one knee, pulled out a black velvet ring case from my pocket, and opened it. Inside, was a beautiful green gem set in a white gold ring.

I looked toward the girls on the porch. One by one they pulled out their signs. On each one was only one word. Silena had the "will." Drew had the "you." Piper had the "marry." Lacey had the "me." And Skylar had the question mark. So it kind of went a little like this.

"Aquarius Sea Jackson." I looked toward the first sign.

"Will." Then the second.

"You." Then the third.

"Marry." Then the last.

"Me?" Then before Aqua could answer, Skylar shouts, "Question Mark!" Wow. That girl needs calm down.

"Umm," Aqua shifted awkwardly on her feet. "Yes. I would love to, Nico." She hugged me tight. I put the ring on her finger. It looked amazing in the box, with its green gem poking through the gold encasing, but gods, it looked perfect on Aqua.

When I leaned in to hug her, she whispered in my ear, "I love you Death-Boy." A smile played on her lips. I kissed her than said, "I love you to, Water-Girl."

After that, we sat on the beach and watched the sub set. Aqua laid her head on my chest and I put my head on hers. It was perfect. Until Percy sat on the porch and watchd us. (Creepy!)

Aqua looked at me and whispered, "Should I do it?" I nodded. This was going to be hilarious. She got up and looked to the Long Island Sound. Then she raised her hand and thrust it toward her brother. I guess Percy wasn't expecting it and was pounder into the pink wall of the Aphrodite cabin. He was soaking wet, which was first, and had the only funny face. Tyson was there with Percy, but didn't get wet. We were able to scare the Underworld out of him though. He started running a mile back to his cabin (Poseidon.) Oh, that was great. Percy walked back to his cabin, got a change of clothes and sat on the porch steps. Skylar came out in her sparkly red dress and sat down next to Percy.

"What? What happened? She wet you?" She asked Percy, walking her fingers along his shoulder. He nodded.

"Oh my gods. She wet you. Why did she wet you?" Percy didn't answer, he just kept looking straight, so I answered for him.

"Aqua and I were sitting on the beach and got annoyed that Percy wad stalking us. So she wet him," I explained causally.

"It's okay, Perce, I know the story now. Nico just told me," she assured Percy, patting his shoulder softly. "Percy, we should go. I think Silena's playing our song." Skylar smiles a small smile. Percy exchanges the smile and pecks her lips.

"Alright my little Skylark."

Percy takes her hand and drags her bac k to the party. Their "song" is the song they first danced to. It's called Safe and Sound. It's sad and slow, not really my type.

As they exited the porch area, I looked back at Aqua. She was smirking in a way that could only mean two things: she's happy she loves me, or she's laughing at Sky and Percy.

"Come on, Death-Boy. I want to dance with you," Aqua says.

"Sure, my little Starfish." I walked through the back doors of the Aphrodite cabin, when I felt the sudden surge of love. That's probably because we were in the goddess of loves' cabin.

The last thing I remember was falling unconscious in Aqua's arms.

 


	5. The God of the Sun Pays a Visit

 

We looked back and saw who it was. Four Aphrodite girls and Skylar came running to the railing far enough away, but still distracting me.

"Aqua, can you like not run away at the moment?" I asked hoping she would obey.

"Why would I run?" She questioned. I didn't answer. Instead, I got down on one knee, pulled out a black velvet ring case from my pocket, and opened it. Inside, was a beautiful green gem set in a white gold ring.

I looked toward the girls on the porch. One by one they pulled out their signs. On each one was only one word. Silena had the "will." Drew had the "you." Piper had the "marry." Lacey had the "me." And Skylar had the question mark. So it kind of went a little like this.

"Aquarius Sea Jackson." I looked toward the first sign.

"Will." Then the second.

"You." Then the third.

"Marry." Then the last.

"Me?" Then before Aqua could answer, Skylar shouts, "Question Mark!" Wow. That girl needs calm down.

"Umm," Aqua shifted awkwardly on her feet. "Yes. I would love to, Nico." She hugged me tight. I put the ring on her finger. It looked amazing in the box, with its green gem poking through the gold encasing, but gods, it looked perfect on Aqua.

When I leaned in to hug her, she whispered in my ear, "I love you Death-Boy." A smile played on her lips. I kissed her than said, "I love you to, Water-Girl."

After that, we sat on the beach and watched the sub set. Aqua laid her head on my chest and I put my head on hers. It was perfect. Until Percy sat on the porch and watchd us. (Creepy!)

Aqua looked at me and whispered, "Should I do it?" I nodded. This was going to be hilarious. She got up and looked to the Long Island Sound. Then she raised her hand and thrust it toward her brother. I guess Percy wasn't expecting it and was pounder into the pink wall of the Aphrodite cabin. He was soaking wet, which was first, and had the only funny face. Tyson was there with Percy, but didn't get wet. We were able to scare the Underworld out of him though. He started running a mile back to his cabin (Poseidon.) Oh, that was great. Percy walked back to his cabin, got a change of clothes and sat on the porch steps. Skylar came out in her sparkly red dress and sat down next to Percy.

"What? What happened? She wet you?" She asked Percy, walking her fingers along his shoulder. He nodded.

"Oh my gods. She wet you. Why did she wet you?" Percy didn't answer, he just kept looking straight, so I answered for him.

"Aqua and I were sitting on the beach and got annoyed that Percy wad stalking us. So she wet him," I explained causally.

"It's okay, Perce, I know the story now. Nico just told me," she assured Percy, patting his shoulder softly. "Percy, we should go. I think Silena's playing our song." Skylar smiles a small smile. Percy exchanges the smile and pecks her lips.

"Alright my little Skylark."

Percy takes her hand and drags her bac k to the party. Their "song" is the song they first danced to. It's called Safe and Sound. It's sad and slow, not really my type.

As they exited the porch area, I looked back at Aqua. She was smirking in a way that could only mean two things: she's happy she loves me, or she's laughing at Sky and Percy.

"Come on, Death-Boy. I want to dance with you," Aqua says.

"Sure, my little Starfish." I walked through the back doors of the Aphrodite cabin, when I felt the sudden surge of love. That's probably because we were in the goddess of loves' cabin.

The last thing I remember was falling unconscious in Aqua's arms.

 


	6. The Game

 

Today is Friday. I don't like Friday's,  because the camp uses my ability to sense when someone dies to see if any campers died during Capture the Flag. It's getting a little annoying, with the major headaches I get. After Percy attacked me, my head has been erupting with migranes. Now, after someone dies, the motion hurts.

Chiron stands on the stage in the Amphitheater,  stomping his hoof for everyone to stop talking.

"Heroes," he shouts,  "today is Friday, so you all know what that means. One rule though: no killing campers. Alright, to your positions." The horn blows signaling the start of the game. Someone shouts: "Ready...Go!"

I'm running with my team, the blue team, when Aqua starts running next to me. She has her armor, but it looks too big. She trips, and I giggle a little. She glares at me, but the glare is gone almost as fast as it gets there.

"Hey Water-Girl," I say smiling.

"Death-Boy," she says.

We have a little conversation and start running. We run for a long time. We dodge trees, race, take a few breaks, then run again. The forest at camp is huge so it takes a lot to play Capture the Flag.

We joke around for a bit, when I get this piercing pain in my ear that sounds like an opera singer breaking glass with her voice. I fall to the knee that is still healing from Percy's attack, then crumple to the floor from the searing white pain in my knee. This means someone powerful is going to die. Aqua bends to my aid, but I shooed her because I'm sure the pain in my ear will wear off sometime soon. She ignores me, and comes down to help me up. I try, but I just fall back to the ground. 

A sob rises inside my chest but I refuse to let it come out. I guess I didn't try hard enough because it came out. I gave up trying to hold in my tears; I just let them fall. Aqua came up to me and started to calm me down. An Apollo camper found us and healed my knee enough to help me walk. She fed me Ambrosia and ran off, leaving Aqua and I alone.

In five minutes, Aqua helps me to b y feet, and we walk off; more like limpi ng and walking. We eventually found the flag, and won. That's when all the eerie noises started. I noticed the campers slumping down; and the arrow hurdling toward Aqua. That's when I jumped into the arrows path.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> okay this chapter is really short and i dont even know w h y what was young tyler doing with their life jE sUs


	7. The Voice

 

 

I woke in the infirmary with this searing pain in my shoudler, and the sound of Aqua's humming. Her sea-foam green eyes are darker than usual. I try to sit up, but fall back on my pillow, hearing hooves trot into the room. Chiron stands above me, saying something, but I can't hear him. The ringing in my ears hasn't stopped.

I ask Chiron how long ago Capture the Flag qas. He says two days. Man! I've been put that long? I honestly don't remember a thing. Chiron bends down and checks my knee. Then my head, then my eyes.

"Nico, how many campers, died during the game?" Chiron asks me.

"I'm not sure. There was a little ring in my ears. Then when we won, all those campers started slumping over with arrows in them. That's when I got the longer ring," I informed Chiron. That was the worst part of the game.

I look toward Aqua, who is still humming, but has a worried look on her face. When Chiron leaves, Aqua practically runs to my bed. She hugs me, and she smells like a beach breeze. I inhale every minute of the embrace, so I don't forget her wonderful scent. She pulls away, and stares at me in awe. I stare back, brushing a stray hair from her face behind her ear. I tell her I'm okay, because she gets emotional when I'm hurt. It's cute.

"Nico, promise me something," she tells me, looking me in the eye.

"Sure humming fish," I said smiling.

"Don't _ever_ throw yourself in front of me when an arrow is flying towards me," she says pouting. I nod. I don't want to agree, but I can't say no to that cute pouty face.

Chiron comes back in the room, a worried espresso on on his face.  He trots up to me and whispers in the ear that isn't ringing: "I know about the ring, Nico. Hades told me." That got my spirits up. I didn't want to tell the old centaur because I thought he wouldn't let me on the quest. Or he wouldn't understand.

Aqua helps me limp to the Amphitheater,  where Chiron stands getting everyone's attention.

"I issue a quest for the Ring of Hades," shouts Chiron. "The two campers who shall accompany this son of Hades, are-"

"Make it three others." I notice that voice, I just can't think if the person it belongs to.

"Okay. The three campers who shall accompany Nico di Angelo, are..." He pauses for dramatic effect. That's when I realized the owner of the voice. My mouth drops open at the thought.

"The three campers are, Skylar Chase, Aqua Jackson, and Percy Jackson." That's it. My favorite cousins voice. Percy Jackson's voice.


	8. The Quest

 

 

 

I pack my stuff in the Hades cabin, alone. I will probably never see this cabin again. I hear on my door and open it to find a surprise. In the threshold of the door, stands Skylar and Percy, hand in hand.

"Well, if it isn't my favorite cousin. Did you forget something? A brain maybe?" Percy says with an evil glint in his eye; while smirking. I'm supposed to have that evil glint in my eye.

"Percy, that's the stupidest thing to say in this conversation," Skylar retorts, giggling.

I wasn't even thinking when I pulled out my sword and pointed it at Percy's chest. He must have seen it coming because he talks out Riptide and points to _my_ chest. That kid has got some skills.

"Guys, stop," Skylar says in a voice that sounds like charmspeak. We obey like dogs, but with puzzled faces.

"Skylar. Did - you - just charmspeak us?" Percy asks his girlfriend. Sky nods.

"How did you do it?" I ask.

"Yeah, only children of Aphrodite can do that. Your no daughter of Aphrodite.  So, how did you do it?" Percy questions curiously.

"Blessing of Aphrodite.  And I can't believe you'd think I'm a daughter of Aphrodite, Percy," she says.

Percy and Skylar leave; Percy giving them a ride on an awesome wave in the lake. I finish packing in silence. 

When I'm done packing for the quest, I decide to drop in at the Poseidon cabin.  I go in, but nobody's there. So u choose to visit Skylar in the Athena cabin. She's there alright, just not packing for the quest. I knock, but she doesn't hear me. I realize she has headphones on and is reading a book five pages a second. I guess all children of Athena can do that. I walk in and saunter towards her bunk.

"Hey, Sky." She looks up, and gestures for me to sit on her plush bed.

"Hey, Nico. What brings you here?" She asks me.

"You can read that 600 page book?" I question, my mouth hanging open. Skylar giggles.

"Yep. It's pretty easy. Actually, this is the shortest book I've ever read." I'm still amazed.

"Don't you have dyslexia?" She nods.

"Yeah. I still can't figure it out. It just happens." She shrugs.

"Well, shouldn't you be packing? We should be heading out in like five minutes."

"I already did." Skylar points to a small box that could fit in your pocket and a back back filled to the zipper.

"How did-"

"Leo made it for me," she says simply. I get up from her bunk, and wave. I leave in silence, staggering away. That was certainly interesting.

We left Camp Half-Blood a half hour ago, and we're already getting attacked by monsters. I was pretty surprised how well I could fight with a dislocated knee.

I have no idea where to find the ring, but Jolly-O-Dad sent me a useless map.

"Nico, that map means something important.  It's a vital sign in this quest. I'm sure it is." Skylar keeps trying to persuade me that it means something.

I look at the bag of Nectar drops Apollo gave us. I'm thinking of all this stuff when, I hear a cry for help. It sounds familiar, but when I think...I'm deep in thought. Then the person cries again. A faint, "Nico! Nico, help me!" Then my mind clicks.  The medium high pitched frequency,  the smoothness, like she has no hesitation; the way she said my name.

The cry of help is coming from Aqua.


	9. The Map

 

 

Aqua was fighting a giant hellhound; it was so big, I think it's actually from Tartarus. I shadow traveled to where Aqua was fighting the monster and almost scared her to the Underworld.

"Nico, are you crazy?!?!" She demanded, startled. I nod my head yes to answer her question. Something about this hellhound seems familiar; it's probably the night sky playing tricks on my brain, making the hound look brown instead of black. Qait, it really is brown!

"Listen, Aqua,  don't fight that thing," I say matter-of-factly.  She just states at me blankly. Then she comes out of her trance, shaking her head.

"That _thing_ is a hell hound, Nico! It's trying to kill me!" She shouts.

"That _thin_ g is my pet hell hound. His name is Crispy Chip," I confess, my head hanging low. I never wanted to admit that I had a hellhound for a pet. I thought if people knew, they would think I'm a softie.

I walk towards Crispy and whisper something in his ear. Crispy bends down and licks my knee; immediately, I feel the joint in my knee heal through the burni ng sensation. It takes a lot of my energy to stop from screaming like a girl.

We walk in a weird formation to where we left Blackjack,  Percy's pegasus. Skylar, Percy and Aqua walk in a circle around me, while I'm stuck in the middle. Percy used force, saying he would skewer me if I didn't get in the middle. That didn't stop me. Aqua pleaded. That almost worked. Skylar charmspoke me. That worked. Every time I tried to walk out of formation, Sky would charmspeak me back in the middle.

While Skylar was babbling on about the benefits of books, and how amazing book stores are, I held up the map that might lead to certain death. Seriously, I need Ancient Greek lessons, I _cannot_ understand this map. I take a deep breath and-

"Skylar how do you read this map?" I ask.

"Can I see it, Nico?" She puts her hand back. I give her the map, and she looks at it intently. We stopped and it takes Sky a minute to read it all. She has a concerned face and I'm wondering if this was a bad idea. Do I really want to know the history meaning of this map?

She taps Percy on the shoulder and whispers something to him. Skylar points to a  part of the map, and mumbles rather fast, like she is saying an incantation.

"Sky,you okay?" I started to get worried about her.

"Yeah, fine Nico," she murmurs.

"It's just this map is..." The sentence hands in the air. I have a bad feeling about this.

"It's just what?" I pressed.

"It's just this map is 300 years old, and the kid who made it lived in the 1900's. It also leads me to the wrong place. This leads you to another country. The map says the ring is in Canada," she said. I nodded, eager for more information.

"What country?" I questioned.

"Well, Canada. That's bizarre since the last son of Hades lived in Italy. I read about him a couple of times. He made this map. He-" She didn't finish.

"He what? What's his name? What time period is he from?" I asked eagerly.

"Storytellers say he died at the age of 10, but would rise from the dead. He was Italian and was born in 1930," should to the bottom of the map, where a signature is printed in the corner. "No. This can't be happening he died. I'm sure of it,"  Skylar mutters, squeaking a bit.

"What is it?" Percy presses lightly in her ear.

"The map says its from 1940.  That's the year the boy died." I look from Skylar to Percy, and back to Skylar.

"Well, what's his name?" I asked curiously.

"You really want to know?" She asks Percy and I. We both nod. She sighs.

She looks into my eyes before replying, "Alright. His name was Nico Di Angelo."


	10. The Encounter

We walked in silence without the awkward formation.  I'm still a little dumb struck from the map discovery. I don't remember making a map back then, maybe I was too little to remember maybe the memory was shadowed by grief and Bianca died.

Ever since Bianca joined the hunters, I despised them. If I ever have to see them again I will run to the Underworld and hide there forever. (With occasional visits to see aqua.)

"Skylar, can I ask you something about Annabeth?" She looked at me for a second then smiled lightly.

"Of course, Nico. You always be like a brother to me." She grinned, and then I beamed at the thought of having a sister. It felt good to have Skyler say I'm like a brother. It felt like a dream, being called a brother again.

"If Annabeth joined the hunters, what would you do?" She frowned a bit at the thought, and then smiled again.

"I guess I would be bored  and lonely without her constant order to study and become a better daughter of Athena," she says matter-of-factly. She's kind of right. The sixteen year old daughter of Athena is nothing like her sister, Annabeth.

"Why do you ask, Nico?" Skylar asked. I shrugged.

"I just miss Bianca , and every time I see or hear about the hunters I just break down." It was true.

Skyler does something unquestionably unexpected. She bends down ( she's pretty tall, I'm kind of on the short side) and hugs me. She smells  of a book, which might be because she reads like ten books a day.

"It's okay, Nico. I'm here for you. When you need advice for anything, come to me." I wanted to stay in this moment forever, but Percy tells us to keep moving. As Skyler pulls away, she says in a small voice, I can barely hear her. "You will always be the brother I never had, Nico." I not nod. I feel a single tear roll down my cheek. Aw man! Sky made me get all mushy.

We walk for a long time, ( mostly because blackjack got lazy and scared, so he flew back to camp...like a boss!) and my feet are starting to get sore. I'm exhausted and ask if we could stop. The girls don't argue, but Percy huffs and grumbles, "Fine." we all dropped to the ground so hard there's a sound. We have to drag ourselves to a spot in an alley.

I plop myself next to Aqua and she snuggles up next to me. Percy gives me a  petrifying look and I stick my tongue out at him. I know childish right? I rest my hand on Aqua's shoulder and move it up and down. She looks up and smile that extremely bright smile.

"I love you, Nico," she mutters, half asleep. Her eyes are partially closed, a smile still plastered to her lips. I look down at her and smile the biggest smile I can muster. Every time I'm with her, I can't help but smile.

"I love you too, Aqua," I whisper. At that, she falls asleep on my shoulder and shortly after that, I fall asleep on hers.

We are woken from our sleep when we all here the sound of shoes on pavement. Half asleep, Percy and I throw ourselves in front of Aqua and Skylar. They look at each other, shrug, and step out from behind us.

"Guys, what are you doing? That could be a monster! " We demand. Aqua looks at me, her face skeptical.  Skylar looks at Percy, her face disbelieving.

"It's okay. They're just the Hunters," Aqua says carefully looking into my eyes. Right. It's just the group of girls that my sister joined. It's just the group of girls that let my sister die.


	11. The New Member

 

 

Thalia Grace, Lieutenant of Artemis is staring at us with a confused face. The first to break the awkward silence was Skylar; she walked toward Thalia, arms outstretched.  We all stare at the two girls with curious faces.

Percy shifted uncomfortably on his feet. "Um, Sky, you do you know Thalia?" He asked his girlfriend. She nodded.

"Thalia is Annabeths best friend. So, naturally, Thalia and I grew to be friends." We all nod.

"So. Tell. What are you guys doing here?" Thalia asked. She looked interested in why we were resting in an alley. Percy gestured toward me, like I was a piece of rotten candy.

"Well, Mr. Death-Boy over here decided that we should rest after like, walking for _fou_ r hours." Percy rolled his green eyes and stomped off like a girl, when she doesn't get what she wants when she wants it. Thalia turned to us and smirked.

"He acts like he's a 13 year old girl, instead of the 16 year old Seaweed Brain he is." We all laughed at Thalias' comment.

"Heard that!" Percy yelled over his shoulder. _Well,_ _it's_ _true,_ I thought.

"Guys, we came here thinking the monster we were tracking was here," Thalia explained.

"Which monster?" I asked curiously. 

"The Chimera," A hunter replied. At the name _Chimera,_ Percy perked up and scared the living Underworld out of me.

He was so quiet; we forgot he was still here for a few seconds.

"Chimera? I killed that thing when I was 12." Skylar, Thalia and I looked at him with confused faces. Aqua was the only who just shrugged.

"What? I was like, the hero at Camp Half-Blood when I was younger. I still am," Percy sighed, sounding hurt, we didn't remember that.

"Anyway," Thalia drawled awkwardly, "we are here for a reason, that Artemis has issued herself. We're here to help you on your quest."

Well, that was definitely surprising. Who knew a goddess would help us; _especially_ me. I am once again, deep in thought; and again, the only person who takes me out of my trance is Aqua. We-the Hunters, me, Aqua, Sky and Percy - sit in a circle eating the food Skylar brought.

When were done, we all just sit there, wondering what to do. Aqua scoots away from Percy and curls up next to me. Percy gets a little mad, so Sky snuggles into his shoulder. That seems to get Aqua off his mind. Sometimes I wonder if Percy thinks I'm stealing his sister away from him. Aqua looks up and stares into my eyes; I stare back, taking in every inch of her beautiful eyes.

"Hello, Mr. Di Angelo. Long time no see," she whispers. I love that smile.

"Well hello there, Miss Jackson," I say, returning the smile.

"Hey, you two love birds over t he re are making me sick. No offense." A female voice calls. Thalia.

"We were talking about a plan to get the Ring," Skylar states, scooting away from Percy a bit. She tries to stand, but Percy pulls her back down. She falls onto his lap, and they both start cracking up. Thalia cracks a smile.

"Alright, alright. Let's get serious. There's one bad thing about the plan." Thalia's smile faded and she looks at Skylar with uneasiness. Immediately, I know what happened. "We need another demigod."

"What about another daughter of Athena? I could get Annabeth," Skylar says smiling a little. Thalia looks at Sky with sympathy.

"What is it? Thalia, why are you giving me that look?" Skylar turned to her boyfriend, and he finally gets what's going on.

"Guys, I'd like you to meet the newest member of the Hunters." Thalia avoids all eye contact with Sky. "The newest member of the Hunters is Annabeth Chase."


	12. The God of Thieves

"What are you doing with the Hunters, Annabeth?" Skylar asks hurt. I honestly didn't see Annabeth joining the Hunters, what so ever.

"I'm sorry, Sky. I was alone and bored...and I felt like you didn't need your sister anymore." Annabeth looks as if she's been crying. Skylar starts trembling in anger and fear.

"How could you, Annabeth? You're my older sister, for crying out loud! Annabeth, how could you be alone or bored with me?" Skylar had tears running down her cheeks, like fresh rain on a hill.

"Skylar, I-I'm sorry. I was _so_ tempted." She walks over to Sky, and grabs her face. "You known I love my sister right?" She asks. Sky nods.

"I will always need you, Annabeth," she whispers wiping tears from her face. Percy walks behind Sky and she turns around and digs her face in Percy's chest.

We walk for a long time down the alleyway; as if the side street itself was expanding every time we reached the end. Aqua walked with me, while Skylar walked with Percy, mumbling to herself about Annabeth and how mad she was. Skylar looked totally broken. I'd never thought that Sky could crack like that, she's pretty tough.

"Nico, do you think Sky is okay? I mean her sister just left her alone." I looked down and saw that Aqua was starting to tear up. I kissed her lightly so that she would start bawling like crazy.

I pulled away and nodded. "I think she'll get over it soon. She's a tough girl, that Sky." Aqua smiled lightly. She pulled me into a hug. Percy halted and looked behind him, muttering for Skylar to wait for him. He stomped over, broke us apart, and looked into our eyes. His expression was _no_ t one I ever want to see again.

_"Stop kissing my sister in front of me." He pointed an accusing finger at me. He looked toward his sister._

"Stop loving him so much, will you?" Percy gave Aqua the _seriously,_ _that's_ _gross_ face and walked back to Sky.

As he walks away, I imitate his voice like a chipmunk. Aqua giggles next to me, and I start laughing, which makes her laugh. It's a pretty cool moment; as if time didn't exist, and the world stopped moving.

We eventually stopped laughing and started walking down the alley...again. There was a dark shape at what seemed to be the end of the alleyway. Skylar had stopped complaining about her sister and was now walking with Percy's arm around her shoulders. They way they walked reminded me of the perfect couple; with that being said, I put my arm around and pushed her closer to me. I forgot about the shape, as it had disappeared. When Thalia holds up her hand, signaling us to stop, this gives me an uneasy feeling.

"Guys, stop. I feel this powerful presence." I didn't blame her if she wanted to stop. Thalia gestures for us to walk on, but slowly. We follow her lead, and we are greeted by a surprising sight. The end of the alley.

"What? But that's not possible! We've been here one million times!" Skylar shouted. We all looked toward the direction of the the shape was at, and gasped. The shadow was solidifying, into what looked like a human wearing a toga and winged sandals.

Skylar dried her eyes from the few tears that fell, and stepped an inch closer to the shadow; Percy tried to stop her from going but Sky was determined to get close to the figure. She turned around and said, "Percy let me do this. I love you Seaweed Brain." She leaned up and kissed him so he wouldn't say anything more. They smiled against each others lips. Just as Percy was pulling away, Percy held her shoulders and said, "I love you to, Skylark." He kissed her again, and this time, Skylar pulled away.

She straightened her posture and cleared her throat.

"Come out where we can see you." Skylar sounded dangerously calm. I noticed the charmspeak in her voice; I was tempted to stand in the light of the alley, but I fought it. The figure stepped into the light of day. I noticed that trouble making smirk. The Stolls always had it when they pulled a prank. I also noticed the reddish brown maniac like hair. This was _not_ my day.

"Why are you? What do you want with us?" Skylar was glowing. Like literally glowing yellow. She was also floating a little. The man stepped closer to us and touched Skylar's forehead. Her eyes rolled back into her head and her knees buckled as she crumpled to the floor. Percy ran to her side.

"Well, darling, isn't it obvious?" The man figure said to Sky, although I think he directed to us. He looked up and smiled.

"I am Hermes. God of thieves."


	13. The Second Blessing

 

"Hermes. I should have known. The smirk, the hair, the mischievous aura. It was Hermes," I clarified. The god looked at me as if I was a rat in his lab.

"Smart one, you are," he declared smiling.

"What happened to Skylar, Hermes?" Percy growled through clenched teeth. He took this like Sky was dead. She's not, or maybe that glowing light meant the end...No. She's not dead. Yet...right?

No. She's not dead, I know it.

"Relax, Perce-"

"Don't call me Perce," Percy snapped.

"Fine. Relax, _Perc_ y. She's not dead," Hermes reassured. Thank the gods she isn't dead. Percy walked back to his unconscious girlfriend.

"Your friend is quite beautiful you know," Hermes pointed out.

"Yeah, she is. She's my girlfriend."

"How did you two meet?" He asks.

Percy smiled as if remembering that day was a distant memory; which it probably is. "At the archery ranges at camp. She had _crazy_ good accuracy."

"Like Apollo crazy accuracy?" Hermes questioned. Percy nodded.

"Yeah. She looked cute when her arrow flew and she smiled. The way her eyes lit up when she hit the bulls-eye. Annabeth was outraged when I told her Skylar was my girlfriend." Percy laughed. Annabeth looked hurt.

"I was not!" She shouted at Percy. His reponse was more laughter. Annabeth pulled out her bow and nocked an arrow. Percy stopped laughing instantly. They started fighting and I knew that only charmspeak could break this apart. Just then, we heard a that sounded familiar. I caught that ringing again, only this time powerful, more real. I lost my balance and would've face planted if Aqua didn't catch me.

"What is it, Nico?" She asked frantically.

"Something's very wrong. Percy, check Sky's pulse. I think she's well-" 

"Don't say it Nico," Percy snapped. The ringing sound got louder and I almost blacked out. Percy checked Skylar's pulse and slowly took his fingers away from her glowing neck. He looked straight into my eyes and I saw a single tear roll down his cheek. We waited for a response, but all he did was shake his head. I felt my eyes start to water and I let myself fall to my knees.

"There is no pulse Nico." Percy bent down to where Sky's heart would be and came up sluggish. "She's gone," Percy choked, looking down.  He kissed her, right on the lips, as if she would wake up.

"No. No! She can't die!" Annabeth screamed running to her sisters' body. 

"Let me see her," Hermes ventured. 

"NO!" Percy and Annabeth shouted together. Hermes put his hands up in defeat. I got off the floor and wrapped my arms around Aqua as she started to cry. She all out sobbed while I tried to keep it inside. I let go of her and looked around. Thalia was in a corner rocking as she cried, shaking her head and muttering to herself for this to be a dream. Percy was sobbing on Skylar's chest; Annabeth was crying next to him, screaming for her sister to come back. Hermes was muttering something to himself like the weird god he was.

"What's with all the tears? Did I miss something?" We look around, the voice was obviously female. It sounded like Sky's; but she was still lying the floor, looking as peaceful as ever.

"Why is everyone crying anyway? I'm right here." Percy looks up and sits on the floor, his mouth hanging open. Skylar _is_ here; just in spirit form. We look to her direction, waiting for an explanation.

"Thank you Hermes. I feel as free-" Percy caught on.

"-as a skylark." They both said. Percy stood up and wiped the tears from face really quick.

"Percy, don't fight it. It's okay, cry for me if you have to." Sky smiles and Percy stops wiping his face.

"Listen guys, I have something very important to say and very little time to say it. Go to Olympus. Find Athena. Ask her about the Blessing of Apollo. She will be very angry, but if you want to save me, face the wrath of Athena." She started to fade.

"Skylar! Wait, how do we know what to say?" Percy shouted to her fading spirit.

"Say you want to find out about the Second Blessing on children of Athena. Make her tell you. Make her tell you what _I_ never told anyone." She faded even more.

"Skylar! What will I do without you!?!" Percy cries.

"Live. You will live. I love you Percy." Those were her last words before she faded away.

"I love you too, my little skylark," Percy whispers hoarsely. He collapsed to the ground crying like crazy over his girlfriends' dead body. We look at Percy and try to comfort him.

"Bro, can you please stop crying?" Aqua asked gently, through Percy's constant sobs. She eventually got her brother off the floor and hugged him tight, silent tears running down both of their eyes. Percy tried to smile, but the effort wasn't enough. I knew how he felt; I cried this much when Bianca died. 

"I'll go send an Iris-Message to camp. We have to tell Chiron." Everybody stopped me.

"No! Nico are you crazy?" Annabeth asked, reluctantly. I think I get what she wants me to do, but I just can't. The thought makes me sick, so I try to stop thinking about it. She wants me to bring Skylar back.

"I won't do it Annabeth. I won't bring Skylar back." The news shocks her like one of Jason's lightning bolts.

"What did Sky mean by the Second Blessing?" Aqua asks Annabeth.

Annabeth bit her lip. "It's explained a little like the Mark of Athena. One worthy child of Athena will get picked every generation to hold the burden of two of the twelve Olympians; including Athena. I don't get it; I would've been the next child of Athena to get the Second Blessing. I have no idea why Skylar got it. Do you guys remember any moments when Skylar told you about a blessing from a god?" Annabeth explained.

"She told us she had the Blessing of Aphrodite to charmspeak." Percy gestured to me.

"What else is there about the Second Blessing, Annabeth?" Aqua pressed. Annabeth looked nervous to say something.

"Uhh, it's hard to survive with the Second Blessing?" Annabeth replies.

"So, what you're saying is, my girlfriend just died from some stupid blessing of a god?" Percy asks, his voice growing angry.

"Not at all. I'm saying there is something Skylar never told you-"

"Oh, yeah. She mentioned something like that," Percy interjected.

"Anyway, what she never told you was that she was not a demigod," Annabeth said casually.

"What was she then? She wasn't a goddess. She would've had a powerful aura," I pointed out.

"Oh, but Nico, that's where you're wrong. Skylar never wanted people to know what she was. She hid her aura. And she hid it well, not even her boyfriend knew. Hades, I didn't even know until she told me last year. All the things she loved, her personality, everything about her," Annabeth stated mysteriously.

"What are you getting at, Annabeth?" Percy asked, obviously confused. I face palmed my self. Honestly, he didn't see where this was going?

"Percy, your girlfriend, my sister-Skylar was a goddess. The goddess of unusual and rare things."


	14. The Disappearing Goddess

 

 

 

I did not see that coming. Skylar? A goddess? Please, that's most unusual...oh, I get it. It makes sense Skylar would be the goddess of unusual things. She was...unusual.

"Come on guys," Percy sniffed. He had been crying for four hours straight, causing a few waves to crash against some beaches in New York. I guess he really misses Skylar.

"Where, Percy?" Aqua asked slightly annoyed. She and Skylar were, like, the best of friends.

"To Olympus, where else? Skylar said to go there, find her mom, and  ask about the Second Blessing. I also have a few questions for Athena," Percy identified. The _questions for Athena_ part really scared Aqua and I.

"Well, thanks for the optimism, Perce," Aqua muttered, her face half-buried in my shirt. He mocks a smile, and walks off; leading us to the palace of my parents.

 

Ok. Three words to describe Olympus. Oh. My. Godly-Athena. This place was _HUGE!_ There were floating bowls of water, a kitchen the size of Canada; the rooms were the size of Long Island.

The throne room was hard to find, and hard to go in. The gods now have at least the name of each and every god and goddess ever known. At the top of the minor gods' list was Skylar; Percy touched her name lightly with his fingertips. There were a lot of things she never told us apparently. She was the daughter of Athena and Hades. (Gross, and disgusting.) She was the only goddess with an American name. She never wanted anyone to know who or what she was, not even the  other gods; she always wanted to be a normal demigod.

Finding the gods was easy enough; finding Athena was harder. The gods weren't any help either. Zeus said Athena was in her tree, talking to her owl; Hades said she was in her room; Poseidon said nothing. Wow. The gods are really wise.

"How could you guys not know where Athena is?" Aqua asked.

"Aqua, why do you need to find to find Athena? She is my immortal enemy, anyways," Poseidon declared. Percy stepped into the picture.

"Dad, something's happened to Skylar." Percy sounds extremely calm. The gods gasped. Then they all started talking at once. They settled when Hermes shushed them.

"It is true. I witnessed this tragedy myself. Skylar has been killed by the Second Blessing. She has sent these demigods to speak with Athena," Hermes informs them. Apollo places his head on his hand, resting it there.

"Aw, man! She was my favorite demigod that wasn't one of my kids," he muttered.

"What is this I hear about my daughter? She's dead?" Athena asks as she walks into the throne room, distraught. Percy stomps up to her with a scowl.

"Tell me about the Second Blessing. Why did Skylar get and not Annabeth?" Percy demanded. Athena looks at hims with a composed look in her eyes. Hermes starts muttering again; the same way he did in the alley. Athena stares into Percy's sea-green eyes, as if looking through him. Percy doubles over, clawing at his throat, squirming on the floor. Poseidon steps up and signals for a stop. When that doesn't work, he steps in front of Athena and blocks her view.

"Stop this madness, Athena," Poseidon demands.

"Poseidon, your son killed my daughter. You expect me to shake that off?" Athena states.

"No. I died from the Second Blessing, mom." The gods turn around to see a familiar goddess standing at the threshold of the door. Standing behind her was Hades, my father.

Skylar was dressed in a black and blue Greek style dress, gold knee high sandals with silver leaves and flowers sown through them. She had white gold arm bands, and a gold head piece. Her brownish blonde hair was in a side braid, with strings of gold plaited in her hair and her aura of power was overwhelming. Through her contentment, I could see something else. Almost, guilt.

When Percy saw her, he recovered and ran to the threshold while Skylar ran to him to. He picked her up and twirled her around in the air. They hugged, and then kissed in front of all the gods. Hades tapped Skylars' shoulder, but she shooed him away while still kissing Percy. That actually worked-Hades flew into the wall on the other side of the room. There seemed to be a blue and red glow around them. Aphrodite looked overrun with so much happiness, she was glowing to. That was her symbol for true love.

"They're the perfect couple! That's absolute true love right there! Isn't it adorable?" She squealed.

"Um, Sky? We'd like to say hi, to," I managed through a veil of awkwardness. She and Percy broke apart and she ran right to me. She embraced me with so much force, she practically squished my insides. Annabeth just looked at her and smiled.

After we all welcomed her back, Skylar, Thalia, Aqua, Annabeth, Percy and I trailed behind Athena to her tree. She told us to sit, but neither of us did. Sky ran straight to Athena's owl.

"So, you wanted to speak with me?" Athena asked annoyed.

"Yes, Lady Athena, Skylar has informed us about the Second Blessing," Percy indicated matter-of-factly. At the words, _Second Blessing,_ Athena perked up and leaned in closer.

"Can you tell us about it?" I asked, slightly angry with the goddess. Athena huffed.

"Well, you see, every generation of Athenians is chosen by me and any other god. We put the blessing on them; mine first, then about ten years later, the other blessing. In Skylars' case, three blessings. Aphrodite's, mine, and Apollo's. He insisted."

Percy looks at her skeptically. "So, how did she 'die?'" He air quoted _die._

_"_ Percy, when one of my children has the Second Blessing, they are tested with it. The test is to see if they survive many powers, and traits of different gods." We looked to Sky who just shrugged; and went back to hanging out with the owl. Percy kept watching her as if she'll break into a million pieces any moment now. She saw him and told him to pay attention to her mother. Percy gives her the pouty face and she rolls her grey blue eyes. Skylar gets up, and walks over to Percy, who gladly welcomes her. Percy wraps his arm around Sky's waist and pulls her closer; while Skylar rests her head on Percy's shoulder.

"In Skylars' situation, she had the overwhelming traits of all the gods who blessed her. Her body just gave out and stopped working. Thanks to Hades, she has been brought back," Athena says with a smile. I break into the conversation.

"No, she's not. She was only summoned by Hermes." Everybody looks at me, then to Sky.

"Nico, it would be nice if you didn't share all my secrets," she says in a sing-songy voice. Athena just smiles, then laughs. 

"C'mon Nico. She's not actually dead," Athena informs me. Skylar sends a silent  _thank you_ to her mother, who just glares. 

"I-I guess not," I stutter. Skylar gasps and breaks away from Percy and hides behind Athena's tree. She stays there. Athena keeps talking, but I don't listen. I focus on the sounds coming from Skylar behind that tree; the repetition of Skylar's constant sobs echoing in the garden. Athena stops explaining and leaves. Apparently, Percy tipped her off and she stomped away.

"Guys, come here. Behind this tree," I say signaling toward the tree. They follow me around the tree where Skylar is and we sit next to her, trying to calm her down.

"Sky, what's wrong?" I asked. She didn't say anything. Instead, she held up her hand and we gasped. Half of her hand was disappearing, slowly fading away like the souls in the Fields of Asphodel.

"Guys, Nico was right. I'm still dead. Hades never brought me back. Hermes summoned me so I can see you again and watch Athena talk to you.  I knew somehow I had to defend you." She started bawling; only this time, Percy kissed her. He put his hands on the bottom of Skylar's chin.

"Skylar how did that feel?" He asked when he broke away.

"It-it felt good, I guess? It felt real, Percy," she murmured. He nodded as he slid his hands down Sky's arms and gripped her wrists. Skylars' arms had goosebumps.

"Exactly. It felt real, Skylar. If you can feel that, then your alive. Your alive, Skylar." Percy stared into her eyes which had pools of tears in her eyes. She smiled but a sob escaped her mouth.

"Percy, that's sweet but I can feel myself fading again." Percy shook his head.

"No." Percy kissed her again and Skylar leaned away from the tree, closer to Percy. They broke apart and Skylar's eyes were wild.

"Percy, I'll follow you guys on the quest, don't worry. I'll give you advice if you need it." Skylar sounded as if she was dying, well technically she was. She started to float.

"My heart has been taken from me twice now. I can't let it happen again," Percy states. He tightened his grip on Skylar and she grabbed his hand.

"Percy, I don't want to leave you, but you can't do anything about it," Skylar insists.

"I'll miss you with my entire heart, Skylark," Percy murmurs, his eyes darkening with sadness.

"I'll miss you more, Percy. I love you always. Oh and on thing, don't bring me back, Nico. No matter how much he begs you to," Skylar whispers; still fading dramatically. She shoots me a look and I know what it's for. _Protect him. Protect everyone. Please._

"I love you too," Percy mouths, starting to break down.

"I love all guys too! Oh, and Percy, I sent a special jacket for you! It's suppossed to do more than keep you warm!" Skylar shouts, letting go of Percy's hand as he lets go of her wrist. Skylar fades into the ground, as if the Underworld dragged her down with it'sevil hands. Like a spirit of the Underworld, the disappearing goddess dies once again.


	15. The Dream From Dad

 

 

"Nico! Bring her back! Please!" Percy whined. Funny; never thought the guy who wants to kill me wants my help.

"Nope," I simply answered.

"But, PLEASE!" Percy screamed. He was really starting to get me angry. He's been complaining about how much he wanted to see Sky; he's dancing on my last nerve.

"Not happening, dude. You heard Skylar. No bringing her back fron the dead," I explained.

"PLEASE! PLEASE! PLEASE, NICO!" He shouted into my ear. I managed not to punch the living Tartarus out of him. Instead, I grabbed his head and brought him close and said really slow, "Percy, Skylar says not to bring her back. Do you understand?" He nods and I let go of his face.

"I WANT SKYLAR!" He cries. He peels off the jacket Sky gave him and cries into it. I turn to Aqua, Annabeth and Thalia and wave them over.

"How do I stop _that?"_ I asked annoyed, pointing to Percy. Aqua steps forward and looks at me with pleading eyes.

"Please, Nico, go easy on him. He just lost his girlfriend. That's hard, you know. When you went on that quest for a week, I went insane." Well, that's true. I went on an important quest for a week and Percy said Aqua wouldn't stop crying, praying to every known god to get me back alive. In the background of our conversation, all we heard was, "Skylar! SKYLAR! PLEASE COME BACK!" Percy started wailing like a siren on Halloween.

"Percy! Stop calling for her! She's not-coming-back!" Annabeth sobbed. Thalia bent down and wept with Annabeth. Ugh, girls.

"Nico," Aqua whispers lacing her fingers through mine. "I think I know someone who might be able to help Percy stop crying."

"Really? Wait, _someone?"_ I ask skeptically. She nods.

"He's practiced on pigs before, this should work," she says approvingly.

"Ms. Jackson, are you calling your brother a _pig?"_ I ask.

"Mr. Di Angelo, do you want me to call him a Nico?" She replies.

"Pigs are fine."

"I thought so."

"Aquarius Sea Jackson, you are _not_ going anywhere with Nico," Percy says getting up from his corner, sniffing.

"Why not?" Aqua whines.

"Because, well I-I. H-he doesn't want to bring-to bring-" Percy was at a loss of words.

"Skylar." I said smirking. Percy tries to stare daggers at me, but breaks down sobbing again.

"SKYLAR, WHY! WHY ARE THE FATES SO _EVIL!?!"_ He screams at the sky. My smirk disappeared almost as soon as it got there.

"I'm sorry Perce, I didn't mean-I didn't-" Now _I_ was at a loss of words. Percy gets up from his corner, Riptide in hand, and lunges at me. I pull out my Stygian iron blade and direct it at Percy, but he was already behind me, sword point at my back.

"Percy, drop your sword," I stated calmly.

"Not if you put yours down first," he said. Percy starts pushing his sword into my back ver slowly. A pink glow is forming around Aqua. That's the blessing of Aphrodite...

"Percy, stop." He obeys like a dog in obedience school. Aqua turns around to help Annabeth and Thalia up; they didn't have the strength to get up on their own.

"I'm sorry, man." Percy holds out his hand, and I shake it.

"It's okay, Perce. You're just sad." I shrug. It all happened so fast after that. Percy raising his sword; the flash of bronze light; Aqua screaming; white, hot pain shooting down my arm; and the darkness that followed.

 

I was running; running along the banks of the Styx in the Underworld. I was running from someone who wanted to hurt me. Then a voice that sounded familiar.

_Stop running, puny  demigod. You have lost what you shouldn't have lost. Your sister would never have lost it._

_My sister,_ Bianca.

"Hades?" I asked confused.

_Yes?_

"Did you send me this dream?"

_Yes. I have to tell you something important. And no, it's not about your friend._

"Well, then get on about the ring," I said. 

_I will thank you. When you lost the ring, your problems started. Skylar died, Percy starting hating you. The ring of me is one of the most important items a demigod can have. It is a part of you. When you lost it, you lost part of your luck._

"Luck?" I felt myself waking up from the dream.

_Yes, luck. The map will not help you, that's only to throw you off. The ring is located where you will find the enemy. You will save your friend, but one will die._

"What? That makes  _no_ sense. That's like Rachel's prophecies. They make no sense."

_Ha-ha. I wish I could tell you more, Nico, but I must go; Persephone is calling._

"Wait, dad, what does it mean?"

_Goodbye, son. Find the ring, save your friend, save yourself._

I woke with Aqua shaking me. There was a worried look on her face; I look around and everyone has a troubled look on their faces.

"Nico, are you okay? You were starting to sweat like crazy. Then you were muttering something like, 'wait, what ring, where is the ring dad.' It was cute, but that's not the point. You started twitching; I came to check on you. You were almost cold; I checked your heart-beat and-and." She plopped down next to me and began sobbing.

"It's alright, it's okay. Shh, don't cry, Aqua,"  whispered softly, letting the words seep in.

"I just-I don't-know-what-I-will-do without you!" She choked out frustrated.

"You'll never be without me. That's a fact," I murmured softly.

"Promise?" She says with a pouty face. I gently kiss her.

"I swear on the River Styx."

"So, Little Lover Boy, where does Hades want us to go?" Percy asks awkwardly.

"Well, Crybaby Pig Number One-" I begin.

"Why one?"

"I don't know Percy, I don't know," I say in my best James Bond voice. The original James Bond. "Anyway, Hades says to go where the enemy lies."

"Oh, no. That's bad. That's horrible," Percy mutters. 

"What? What is it, Perce?" Aqua asks getting up and sniffling. 

"We have to go to California," he says stiffly. 

"Why?" I press. 

"To the enemies' territory. To Camp Jupiter. Where the Romans' live."


	16. The Romans' Help

 

"So, have you been to the Roman camp before, Perce?" Aqua asks innocently. He looked at her with skeptical eyes.

"You seriously don't remember, do you?" He questioned. "Remember that time I was in the Roman Camp? I became praetor?" Percy lifted his leather jacket to show a tattoo, wait no, almost a branding on his forearm. It said, _SPQR_ and had a single line under it, for the beginning of one year of service. A trident was resting on top of the letters, stating he is a son of Neptune (or Poseidon.)

"Yes, I remember that," Aqua says. hanging her head.

"Good, so I suggest that we go in the Hudson and ride to California?" Percy said taking Aqua's hand.

"Nico, you taking the water express?" Aqua asked. I waved my hand dismissively.

"Nah, I'm good. I'll shadow-travel,' I said simply. Percy shrugged; while Aqua took Thalia's hand and Percy took Annabeth's.

"Alright, suit yourself," Percy thought aloud. With that, the Jackson's rushed off on their breathtakingly filthy waves. I turned around and sprinted to the nearest shadow I could find; I took a look around, and imagined the sun shining on the fields; and New Rome glistening in the sunlight; but most of all, I imagined my sister Hazel.

 

"What took you so long?!?" They yelled. Percy just stood there talking to a beautiful girl with dark brown hair and eyes like obsidian. Thalia and Annabeth kept shouting at me, but I kept my attention on the way Percy and the dark haired girl talked. They seemed to be on the brink of fighting; with weapons.

"All I'm saying Reyna," Percy whispers to the girl, Reyna, "is that we need your help...again."

"Jackson, I know _what_ your saying. _I'_ _m_ saying, it's a deal," Reyna whispered back, glowering.

"Then we can take you with us?" Percy asks with his infamous puppy eyes. Reyna's scowl turns into a smile.

"Stop, Jackson," Reyna says through uncontrollable giggles, pushing Percy, "you know that always wins me over. Ugh, fine. Percy! You can take me!"

"Um, guys? I don't mean to interrupt, but bring her for what?" I intervened.

"Percy? Who is this?" Reyna asked.

"Reyna, Nico. Nico, Reyna," Percy presents. As Reyna and I shake hands, I notice that she has a strong grip and a gleam of recognition in her dark eyes.

"Oh, yeah, I know you," Reyna says smiling. "Your Hazel's brother right? The Greek one." I nod in confirmation. All of a sudden, a crowd of Romans has gathered around us; as if we Greeks were a foreign species.

The crowd splits apart for a girl about the same height as me. She has dark skin, gold eyes that seem to gleam with excitement, and _extremely_ curly caramel hair. When she sees me, she bursts into a sprint.

"NICO!' Hazel runs into my arms with so much force, I almost fall over. I hug  tight, afraid if I let her go she'll disappear.

"Hey Hazel," I whisper in her ear. We let go and look around; every Roman except Reyna is backing away from Hazel and I. We peak down at the ground and realize we're standing knee deep in diamonds and rubies. Hazel's happiness must have brought up every diamond and ruby for miles. I look at Hazel with an eyebrow raised and she just shrugs.

"Um, Reyna? This is awkward, want, to like, leave now?" Percy murmurs to the praetor. She nods.

"I just have to pack my bags, feed the dogs, and lock up Octavian. Okay?" Reyna leaves with a smile. I step carefully out of Hazels' jewels and help her out.

Hazel walks over to Thalia, Aqua and Annabeth and I stand next to Percy. We strike up a conversation and wait for Reyna. A few minutes later Reyna comes back.

She's wearing black skinny jeans, a purple Camp Jupiter t-shirt, blue converse, and a sword strapped to her belt. Reyna shouldered her back pack and stuck two Imperial Gold throwing knives on her left thigh sheath; and a dagger on her right. Her shiny black hair is braided down her right side messily.

"Reyna, you look great," Percy states. Aqua slaps him upside the head.

"Percy! You have a girlfriend already!" Aqua shouts at him. Percy looks at her innocently.

"But she looks pretty." He mocks a three year-old's voice.

"Um, thanks Perce; but your sisters' right, you have a girlfriend already," Reyna mutters the last part coldly, as if the fact the Percy was taken slowly sank its teeth into Reyna's heart. Percy stiffens next to his sister. 

"How did you know Aqua was my sister? And that I have a girlfriend?" Percy asks suspiciously. Reyna shrugs.

"You just admitted it and Octavian's told me. He's useful sometimes, you know. But don't worry, he won't be killing anymore panda Pillow Pets; I had him locked up in the tunnels under the Field of Mars."

" _That's_ why I can't sense anything underground!" Hazel shouts, a smile appearing on her lips.

"Uh, yeah, okay. We should go guys," I say awkwardly. They all nod.

"So, who's taking the water express? And who's taking the shadow express?" Percy asks with a fake smile.

"I'll take shadow," Reyna and Aqua declare at the same time. Percy looks at Aqua and Reyna, his mouth hanging open.

"Yes, you heard us," Reyna states, rolling her eyes. Percy huffs.

"Alright, I guess I'll take Thalia, Annabeth and Hazel," Percy breathes.

"Where to?" Aqua asks.

"Uh, hold on one second," I say. I turn my head to Percy who is only a few feet away from me. "Percy! Where to?!" 

"Canada!" He yells back. 

"Got it! Thanks!" I shout. Aqua looks at me with a gaze that says, _seriously?_

"Canada," I say turning back to her. She looks at me with a raised eyebrow and mock surprise.

"I got it, Nico Thanks."

"No prob. Ladies, please grab hold. Keep all hands and feet inside the ride at all times. If you do not follow any of the directions previously said, you will probably be attacked by the angry souls between life and death." I look back at the girls and smile. Reyna looks scared, which is a first, and Aqua looks tired of waiting.

"Can I back out now?" Reyna questions.

"No. You're coming with us." Aqua shifts her head from my back, where she's holding onto me. Reyna still looks scared out of her wits.

"Wel, ladies, I will be taking off in a shadow in-" I begin. I start to countdown.

"Three, two, one." As the girls clutch to me tighter, I step into the darkest shadow next to me; we melt into three black splotches and plunge into the shadows.


	17. The Rift

 

The girls were screaming like crazy; and in my ear. When the shadows finally dispersed, Reyna, Aqua and I dropped to the white snowy ground. They lay on the floor, too terrified to move; I lay, sprawled across the snow, too exhausted to do anything.

I look around at the wood like landscape. The trees are tinted black instead of brown because of the night sky. If it's dark out here, we were in the shadows for the whole day. If we've been shadow traveling all day, then where are Percy and the others? I sit up and after a few moments of re-cooperating, stand up. A voice snaps be back to reality.

"Hey, Death-Boy!" Thalia shouts. She's flanked by Percy, Annabeth and Hazel.

"Pine Cone Face," I retort playfully. She smirks, and I return it with my own. Percy steps forward.

"Moving on from the _very_ weird nicknames...Why are we in Canada?" He asks. I look down, focusing on the floor. Suddenly, the snow seemed pretty interesting, something that's not just white and fluffy and cold. In my trance, Aqua had the advantage to slip her hand into mine. I clutched it tight. I feel like a normal kid with normal problems; but then I remember that I'm not normal and will never be normal, not even in my dreams. It's kind of hard to forget your a demigod. 

"Are you okay, Nico?" Aqua questions. I shake my head and whisper, "It's just that Sky was the only person who could actually read the map and understand it. She would know why we're in Canada." Aqua nods.

"We need Frank, guys," Annabeth says bored.

"Um, why would we need the other Roman?" Thalia probes disgusted. Reyna looks hurt.

"Hurtful! I'm a Roman, am I that bad?" Reyna asks. We all shake our heads. Percy starts nodding as he thinks intently; which is barely ever.

"Well, we can't get Frank. We're already here, and the sun is going down. We should rest."

"When did Mr. Jackson become Mr. Reasonable?" I said. Percy mocks me and we all bust out laughing our faces off; it feels good to laugh again. 

"So, where are we? Well,  I mean where are we in Canada?" Aqua says breaking the laughed at silence. We all look at her as if she were crazy.

"Seriously?" Reyna whispered, trying to catch her breath from laughing so hard. "Even I know where we are, and I've barely been north of the States. We're on the border of America and Canada."

 

We trudged through the thick, white snow of Canada. Apparently, we didn't need Frank, because Percy memorized the exact location of Grandma Zhang's house. The mansion was also not tooo hard to find because of the pieces of broken pottery and burned wood that littered the floor around the old foundation. We walk into the mansions' ruins.         

"There," I simply say. Everyone looks at me as if I had lions growing out of my head.

"What exactly is _there?"_ Thalia motions with air quotes. I huff.

" _There_ is the to finding the ring, Thals."

"And the clue is?"

"I don't know.

"Fair enough." She shrugs.

"Guys, if your done asking questions, I'd like to get out of here." Percy gestures out of the mansions' foundation and all of our eyes follow his hand. A band of Cyclopes, a bunch of manticores, and a familiar face. Medusa. Percy turned pale at the sight of the gorgon. Annabeth lost color completely from just looking at the manticores.

"Ah, Nemean Lions, this is bad," Aqua murmured. At this moment, the monsters attacked; they had glittering gold armor, wooden and bone swords, bows and arrows, spear, lances, you name it, they had it.

I pulled out my Stygian Iron blade; Percy, his Celestial Bronze sword. Reyna pulled out her sword and a knife from one of her thigh sheaths. Thalia drew her bow along with Annabeth; Aqua, her twin knives; Hazel has her cavalry sword to, and her gems. The sun starts surfacing from the horizon and the leather jacket on Percy grows painfully bright; a gleam that matches that of a spirit of the Underworld coming back. There's a faint yellow glow in the distance and it looks kind of like Skys' aura.

We charge at the monsters as Percy takes lead. As the monsters run toward us, I notice they are all trained on Percy, Thalia and I-the children of the Big Three. Thalia shoots gold tipped arrows dipped in poison lethal to monsters. Percy slashes his through them like a viper attacking its prey.

"Percy! Thalia! They're trained on us! Let's take care of them!" I shout. They both nod. Aqua and Annabeth course to the monsters, bow and daggers ready. Reyna holds up her sword, charging into the battle.

There's a rumbling sound and I turn around to see Thalia with her free hand thrust upward toward the sky. Percy is covering her so monsters won't attack. A bright hot streak of white light comes down from the clouds in every direction, like the veins of a leaf and struck the beasts at the speed of sound. One billion volts of electricity struck the monsters; one tiny bolt broke off of the initial bolt and struck Medusa; she disintegrated into gold dust, taking a one way trip to Tartarus. 

"Nico, summon the dead!" Percy yells. I huff; I just shadow-traveled 1,952 miles, so I'm exhausted and Percy wants me to summon a dead army of Confederates? Anyway, I put my sword back in my belt and close my eyes; I concentrate as hard as I can on a rift forming in the ground and the dead crawling through. I feel a tugging in my gut and open an eye to see a tiny crack forming the dirt. I close the eye again, concentrate harder, and feel souls being pulled from their place in the Underworld; into the world of the living.

"Nico!" Is the last thing I hear before I black out. I feel the fluffy ground beneath me and the cold clutches of dream visions. 


	18. The Goddess Comes Back

 

 

I wake up to the sound of rain on my window. Wait, _my window_ ; that's not right. I open my eyes fully and find Reyna, Annabeth, Hazel and...Skylar-my dead friend-looking down at me. I shift my head slightly on the pillow to see Percy, Thalia and Aqua fighting in the hall outside my...room.

"Uh, where are we? Are we back at camp?" I ask lifting myself up a bit. Hazel smiles at my comment as if it were a joke that a young child told you that wasn't even funny.

"No, silly," she says laughing; but it isn't her normal, warm laugh-it's as cold Arctic ice, "We're in Medusa's lair. Well, her new lair."  Hazel's eyes flicker with something. The yellowish green of snake pupils. I look to Reyna and Annabeth, who smile hungrily, as if I was their next meal; they to have snake pupils. Skylar has her gazed fixed on something distant. I gulp and start to panic a little.

"What kind of joke is this?" I demand. Hazel comes closer to me, her lips brushing my ear as she speaks.

"It's not a joke, Nico." My eyes shift to Percy and Aqua in the hall; Thalia sits on the chair between them, exasperated. Hazel rises and stares at Percy and Aqua.

"So that's one he cares for most," Annabeth hisses to Reyna and Hazel, their faces pulled back in a sneer. I try to get out of bed, but a voice stops me. 

_Di Angelo, you have not succeeded in telling Percy the real powers of the jacket._

It's Skylar's voice, with it's goddess sized words and goddess like scolding. I wait to watch her move her lips to see when they move, but they don't. She seems to be speaking to me telepathically.

"I-I'm sorry Sky," I muster through dizziness from trying to get up. She just shakes her head.

_That's not going to help him, you know that. I designed the leather to help him when its meaning is told. He's lucky I love him so much. If I didn't, the leather would've already devoured him. I know, gruesome, don't judge._

"That's strange, Sky." She looks at me like I'm a piece of useless book.(Athenian joke, sorry.)

_I'm the goddess of strange things, Di Angelo, of course that's weird.  
_

"Geez, don't judge me."

_Stop stealing my line._

"Got it." She nods.

_Nico, what do you think this is?_

"You actually called me Nico, not Di Angelo. Wow. Anyway, this is real life, isn't it? I mean, as real as life gets." I shrug; and the motion hurts.

_Well, no,_ this _is not real life. This is a..._

She dozes off, as if in a trance.

"So, I'm in a..."

_Yes...?_

_"_ A...trance?"

_No.You're in a..._

"Dream?"

_As dreamy as a dream gets._

"Wow. Even when your-" I choked on the word, but gulped and said it anyway, "dead, you have a horrible sense of humor."

_Don't judge._

"Okay. Can you let me out of this dream, please?"

_Enjoy the real pain._

"Was that a compliment?"

_No. Wow, even when you're alive you have horrible humor._

"Don't take my lines."

_Don't judge my strangeness._

"Touche."

_You are now released from the dream in which Morpheus has sent you. Good-bye, Nico. Tell Percy I love; tell Annabeth I miss her annoyingness._

With that, I wake up, a scream piercing my tranquility; my eyes flying open.

 

"Oh my gods! Oh my gods," Aqua breathed as she buried her face in my shirt. According to Hazel, I passed out from exhaustion after summoning two hundred dead soldiers; she also said I was muttering in my sleep about someone named Skylar. She said Percy had to leave before he had a mental breakdown.

"Who was she?" Hazel asks. 

"Practically Percy's soul mate-or girlfriend for short; Annabeth's sister. My sister," I reply sniffling. Hazel nods in understanding. I decided to tell them my dream.

"Wait, wait, wait. Let me get something straight. My dead girlfriend wants you to tell me something about this jacket? And you waited?" Percy asks, eyes wild. I nod.

"I-I was going to tell you...soon. Percy, please don't get all crazy-like you did with Riptide-I was-I was-"

"You were what?" He tests.

"I was going to tell you everything but I panicked. I couldn't freak you out at a time like this."

"So, to sum it up, you decided to wait until I was almost eaten by leather?"

"Pretty much, yeah. We good?"

"Yeah, whatever. I'm still watching you." Percy smiles; Aqua joins in on his happiness. I start to crack up for no reason.

"Hey, Starfish Jackson," I muster through laughs.

"Death-Boy," She declares wrapping her arms around my neck; Percy's smile disappears. I guess his big brother instinct kicked in. Aqua looks into my eyes, her sea-foam green eyes staring straight into mine. 

"You're the best thing that's ever happened to me," Aqua murmurs, her temple resting on mine, her lips brushing mine. I wrap my hands around her waist.

"I know. You're the best thing that's happened ever happened to me, to, you know," I whisper. I finally pull her into the kiss I've been yearning for. She seems surprised, but that feeling immediately washes away; she's apparently been waiting for me to kiss her.

"I've been waiting for that," she whispers. 

"Hey, if you guys are done grossing everybody out...I'm back." The last part was in a sing-song voice. At the sound of the voice, we all turn around, stunned; we all know that voice too well, it talked too much.

"I know that's not _her_ voice," Percy mumbles.

"It's definitely _her_ voice. Who's _her?"_ She says.

"No, no, no. This can't be happening. It just can't," Annabeth murmurs.

"Of course I'm not her...whoever _her_ is." The female voice is now strangely male.

"Frank?" Thalia asks. It nods; then the weirdest thing happens. The _it_ was actually Frank, who shape-shifted into Skylar.

"You can shift into people?" Percy questions perplexed.

"Yeah, I've been practicing. Cool, right?" Frank replies, slightly embarrassed.

"Thank the gods," Percy sighs.

"Want a tour of the remaining house?" Frank says, eyebrows dancing. We all shake our heads, _no._ Hazel runs up to Frank and hugs him tight; Frank smiles at Hazel and the smile stays. Reyna stares at the floor.

"Hello, Frank. Events at Camp Jupiter are going well, I presume?" Reyna asks.

"Yes, praetor Reyna."

"You've been picking up some of Valdez's humor," I stated, smirking. Frank's smile falls.

"Don't get me wrong, Di Angelo, I _will_ turn into a lion and chase you around. Valdez tried to steal Hazel from me." Frank's smile comes back, only in an evil way. I back up a few steps.

"Geez, _I'm_ supposed to be over protective of Hazel," I mutter. Hazel stares poison daggers at me, and I know it's time to back off.

"Sorry, Frank. Cruel joke, I get it," I apologize. Frank turns into a cow and bellows, "MOOOO!" which was probably very offensive in cow. He turns back into a human, with an actual, happy grin.

"Anyway, let's get going shall we?" Reyna clasps her hands together and guides us away from the mansion. Percy stops her and shouts, "Head count!" We groan.

"Is this necessary?" Hazel moans. Percy nods quickly.

"Yep."

"Ugh. Fine; take it away."

"Thank you. Hazel?"

"Diamonds.

"Reyna?"

"Argentum?"

"Nico?"

"Death-Boy, present," I say.

"Thalia?"

"Lightning bolts."

"Ok...Annabeth?"

"Aqua?"

"Water-Girl present." Aqua and I smile.

"Sk-" Percy chokes on the name.

"Say it, Percy. Just say it," Annabeth snaps, her eyes clenched tight. But even that couldn't prevent the waves of tears streaming down her face.

"Skylar," he says in a hushed tone; we start walking toward the Zhang family mansion just as Percy had a single tear roll down his cheek.

"You know," said a heavenly voice. "You're pretty cute when you're worried or scared." We stop in our tracks.

"Frank, stop playing a prank on us," I call to him shakily.

"That's not me." He sounds scared.

"Yes, you heard me. Who do you think sounds like this, Hermes?"

"It can't be," Annabeth mutters. Percy turns around and just stands there, his mouth gaping like a fish out of water.

"Are you really-?" He asks.

"I'm really here, Perce." She runs to him and wraps her arms around Percy. They stay in their embrace for a second and then broke apart.

"It's happened," Hazel and I murmur.

"What's happened?" Reyna asks. Hazel and I repsond.

"It's happened," we repeat. "The goddess has come back."


	19. The Clue

 

 

"SKYLAR! Wha-Ho-How are you here?!?" The girls exclaimed at once; causing Skylar to look overwhelmed. Percy turned away from us so we wouldn't see the tears of joy welling up in his eyes; he's acting like the alpha male of the pack.

"Um, I don't know," Skylar informs us. "I was just wandering around the Styx and the next thing I know, I was here. Outside Franks' awesome mansion." We nod, and turn to Frank, who's blushing a really pink color. There's a collective gasp from the rest of us. Banks of the Styx? Impossible; that's the strangest thing for a spirit of the Underworld-oh, never mind. That could be the reason Sky's back.

"Why, exactly were you on the banks of the River Styx?" I asked.

"Um, you know, just hanging around. Waiting for something to happen? Waiting for Charon. It was no big deal, Nico." She shrugs it off, like it's totally fine to hang around the Styx in death.

" _No big deal?_ Uh, yeah, it's a big deal. You've could've fallen into the river. Do you know how bad that would be?"

"Why would I fall in it? I'm not _that_ clumsy." As Skylar says that, she walks over to me and drips on a piece of frost covered black wood. I sigh. 

"You just proved my point, Sky."

"We should get moving. Skylar you can read the map right?" Percy asks turning back to us. Aqua gives Sky the map and moves toward me. Reyna gives Sky an acknowledging look; Percy walks right past her, which isn't the way I'd think he would act when Skylar came back. Frank trails behind us, and Thalia stays close to Frank just in case something attacks from behind; and Annabeth and Hazel stick with me.

"Sure. Why not?" Skylar mutters. She picks up the map and starts walking; only there's a limp in her step.  I break away from Hazel, Annabeth and Aqua and jog up to Sky.

"You're limping. What happened?" I whisper. She just shakes her head, her grey-blue eyes focused on a distant point, determined to get my ring and end this quest.

"I-I don't want to talk about it." Sky hangs her head and brings the map to her eyes.

"Come on, Sky. I'm your brother, come one, tell me," I press.

"I-well-hmm, this is hard to word-" Skylar stumbles over her words.

"Guys, stop!" Percy yells back from what looks like a huge dark ball.

"Why?" 

"Just stay there and-and-" Percy's strong voice cracks. "And bring Skylar to me."

"Alright! Here she comes!" We shout back, totally selling her out. Skylar glares at us and starts walking toward the sound of her boyfriends' voice. She steps into the darkness that harnesses Percy. As she steps into it further, the darkness seems to grab her with fluffy, dark hands. Sky doesn't seem to be moving, or squirming, or try to defeat the nothingness. Instead, she just stands there, in the arms of the giant shadow, void thing.

_This harmless little demigod? I wait here for centuries, waiting for a powerful demigod dinner and I am sent this-this failure of a half-blood?_

As the shadow brings Skylar up, she starts muttering something, soft and rapid; like a cheetah _'_ s paws. 

"You're nothing but a ball of white, hot light, like the sun; and you don't want to eat us. You'll go back to sleep in your den." I notice the charmspeak in Skylars' voice. The void starts retreating but comes to its senses. 

_A daughter of Aphrodite? My favorite! So sweet, yet tangy._  

The void was drawing closer to Sky, as if she were a very tasty, smart burrito. 

"No, don't!" Percy called to the emptiness.

"I'm not a daughter of Aphrodite," Skylar reports. "I'm a child of Athena. With the blessing of Apollo, Aphrodite, and my mom." Sky sounds dangerously calm-which is dangerous.

"I'm the powerful demigod you want!" Percy screams, desperately trying to distract the monster from his girlfriend.

_Are you?_ The dark monster sniffs the air near Percy. _Mm, a son of Poseidon, even better._

"I'm the most powerful demigod here," Aqua pipes up.

_Oohh! A daughter of Poseidon! And you_ are _even more powerful than the other half-blood!_

"I'm the most powerful," I muster nervously. The monster looks confused.

_A son of Hades. Eh. I've seen better._

"I'm the powerful demigod you want," Hazel whispered.

_A daughter of Pluto._

"How do know my sisters' Roman?" I asked through gritted teeth, feeling more brave than before.

_I'm a void. I know everything. Even about your crush on that_ other _daughter of Athena over there, Annabeth Chase._ I look back at Annabeth, her face red.

"We're the ones you want," Thalia, Reyna and Frank say stepping forward.

_Oh, a child of Bellona, a daughter of Zeus and a son of Mars. You are very interesting bunch, you nine. I will eat good tonight._

"If you like us so much, then put me down." Skylars' voice is still dangerously calm. She's starting to have this yellow glowing around, Apollo's aura. Her aura was starting to grow painfully bright; the void monster drops Sky to the ground and she yelps in pain. I realize she landed on her right side-the leg she was limping on-and dragged herself to a corner. It also seems that Skys' aura is flickering; she's trying to battle Apollo's aura of power she accidentally summoned.

'Nico! You have to summon them," Percy calls to me as the void monster swipes down at him with a shadowy black sword of darkness.

"I can't Percy! I'm too weak!" Percy glares at me and parries an upcoming streak from the monster. Sky tries getting up, but Thalia throws her back down. 

"Why did you do that?" Skylar asks through gritted teeth. 

"Because I had to. And your leg is broken, so..." Thalia replies. I notice a small, faint silhouette of a human; I get the feeling this person isn't a human, but a demigod. I idiotically beckon the demigod over secretly, making sure nobody sees me doing it.

"I come with news!" It calls from the distance. I recognize the voice. It sounds like...

"Is that...is that my sister?" Sky asks, squinting to see the person in the distance.

"I am in fact one of your sisters; I am also the favored one of Athena," the shadow says. Annabeth moans.

"Ah, great. Not this again."

"Heard that!"

"Anyway, what are you doing here?" I ask.

"Didn't your father tell you? I'm here to help," the shadow states as if it were obvious. The person steps into the light and I see she's wearing a blue cloak that's pulled over her head; her head facing the ground.

"Who are you, exactly?" Percy calls.

"I am the clue to finishing your quest. I am a daughter of Athena." The unknown demigod grabs the ends of her hood and lifts her head up as she pulls down. "I am Jessica. Jessica Smith."


	20. The Secrets Kept

Alright, I know what your thinking. What happened to the void monster thing, blah, blah, blah? I'll tell you what happened. After Jessica realized we were fighting it, she and Sky flicked their wrists and the monster disappeared. And yes, Sky did that from her corner.

"Jess? What are you doing here!?! You're supposed to be running the camp!" Annabeth shouted. We helped Skylar up. Once Percy got her off the ground and stood her up, she fell back down on her right side again.

"Agh!" She screamed in agony. We all rushed to her side when Thalia held up her hand.

"Guys, don't come any closer. If you get near her, she'll just teleport away; if she teleports more, who knows what'll happen to her," Thalia informs.

"Wait, hold up. You're saying, Skylar Chase, my girlfriend of one year, my best friend, can teleport?" Percy  asks. Jess nods, while the rest of the crew just stares, dumb-struck; Sky just lays there.

"Yeah. You guys didn't know that? Geez, Sky why don't you tell them anything?" Jess says rolling her eyes. Percy looks hurt.

"Wha-why didn't you tell me Sky?" Percy demands. He looks down at his girlfriend, who is showing Percy a very cute pouty face.

"Aww, fine. I'm not mad." He looks at all of us with an innocent look in his eyes. "Oh, c'mon; how can you not do anything for her. She has the cutest face!" We all nod in confirmation. Some of us agree with

"Your right."

"Sure."

"Alright, Percy, you're starting to act like the Aphrodite's," I point out. He clears his throat and pretends to straighten his tie.

"I'm back to normal," he mutters.

"Uh, guys. I'm kind of in a _bad_ situation," Sky observes.

"Turn over," Frank and Reyna say. We look at them like their crazy.

"In case you haven't noticed...my leg is _broken,"_ Sky said, starting to shake in fear.

"Just please, Sky. We need to see it," Frank implores. Sky nods.

"No."

"Please?"

"Nope."

"Please?"

"If someone is going to look at my leg, I'll have...Thalia do it." Sky nods approvingly.

"What!?!" Thalia yells in surprise.

"You heard me," Sky states calmly.

"But-but your jeans-"

"I can cut enough of my pant leg off for you to look at it," Sky says. Frank, Hazel and Reyna look worried; I just turn away, Aqua grips my hand; and Percy and Thalia bend down to help Sky back to her corner. Annabeth and Jess argue of who the favored one is. I walk over to Sky, Thala and Percy. 

"Give me your sword, Seaweed Brain," Skylar whispered. Percy shook his head. Thalia looked scared as if setting a broken bone was difficult; but Sky looked determined.

"No. I'll do it," Percy said.

"Here. Don't cut yourself." I handed Skylar my black sword. She shrugged. As Sky put the point to her ankle, Thalia stopped her.

"Sky, do you know what Stygian Iron can do to a demigod?" She asked. Skylar shook her head.

"Oh, yeah. If it makes contact with your skin, it could burn it," Percy remembers.

"Sky, if your hand shakes and that blade comes in contact with your skin..." Thalia lets that sentence hang in the air.

"Uh," Sky hands the sword to Percy. "You want to do it?"

"Sure. Wait, but if this burns off human skin, how can Nico touch it and not like, die?" Percy questions.

"I'm a son of Hades. The River Styx is in my fathers' realm."

"Like Leo's immunity to fire," Thalia murmurs. I nod.

"Alright, Sky. Here goes nothing," Percy mutters. He places the point to her ankle and we hear a stifled scream. Percy, Thalia and I look up from Skylars' ankle to find she's biting her sweater and fighting back tears. Percy pets her hair.

"Touched it?" He asks. Sky nods.

"Want to scream?" She nods again.

"Let it out. Guys, cover your ears." We obey. Sky lets a high-pitched scream that shakes the forest and the snow on the surrounding trees. When she's done, Percy continues cutting, and apparently didn't do a good job of it. He kept touching Skylars' leg with the blade, and she kept muffling her screams.

When Percy finished, Sky had a burnt line of charred skin running from her ankle to right above her knee. Halfway through the process, Skylar passed out probably from the searing pain of my sword. 

"Keep her down," Thalia said under her breath.

"Why?" Percy and I asked.

"Just do it." We follow Thalias' instructions and hold down Sky. She doesn't do anything except lay still on her back. Thalia bends down from where she stands, and stares at Skys' right limb. That's when it clicks. Thalia has x-ray vision.

"Oh, well that's normal," she mutters. Thalia scans a few more inches of Skys' thigh when she starts stirring.

"Hold her down harder," Thalia demands.

"All of our strength is going into this Thals," I mutter through gritted teeth.

"What are you guys-" Thalia bends down to Skys' ear and whispers something to her.

"This is going to hurt...a lot. Bare with me, folks," Thalia says standing.

"You're seriously not going to do this, are you?" Sky asks from the floor.

"I have to." Sky starts struggling beneath Percy and I's hands.

"Ugh, fine. Go ahead, open up my leg."

"Wait, WHAT!?!?" Percy demands.

"Perce, calm down. There's a splintered bone in her calf. I can fix it," Thalia reassures Percy.

"Nah, I'm good. Let's have Apollo do that." Sky strains through our grip more but doesn't get far.

"We're not letting you go," I said.

"Too late," a voice in the distance says.

"Ah, Nemean Lions, she teleported," Thalia sighs.

"I can't wait to-Agh!" Sky starts limping away into the trees; golden Ichor mixed with human blood trailing behind her.

 

Alright, finding Sky wasn't hard. Keeping her down was the problem. She kept kicking and screaming, yelling for us to let her go. She used charmspeak, but that didn't work.

"Let me go, you Big Three Cows!" She kept calling Percy and I pigs. It didn't make any sense.

"Skylar Chase! Calm down!" Annabeth kept shouting after her sister.

"No! You are _not_ opening my leg where Mr. Cow Number One scorched it!" She points to Percy-Mr. Cow Number One.

"Ah, wonderful. Now I'm a cow," he muttered. Luckily, Jess saved the day.

"Skylar Jennifer Chase Jackson, calm down," she simply said. The rampage ended on that note, with a very red Percy and a very pink Skylar.

"Thanks Jess," Sky muttered. We all look at Percy for confirmation. He just shrugs.

"Always works," he says smirking.

"Tie her down!" Thalia shouts to the group. I lift her up and place Skylar on a thick tree. Aqua gets the rope, and Percy keeps her calm.

"Here, drink this," Hazel whispers offering a canteen of nectar to Skylar. Sky takes it with pleasure and drinks it up. She drops the canteen and grimaces as the godly drink starts to heal her wounds. I unbind Sky and help her limp off with Percy close behind us.

"Take her to the farthest tree as possible,' I whisper to Percy as he hauls her to his chest bridal style. She curls up in a ball in his arms. 

"You'll be okay, Sky. It's just the nectar at work," I say.

"No, it's something else. I feel...weaker," she mumbles through Percy's blue t-shirt.

"What?" We ask. I help Percy pry Skylar off his shirt and place her on a tree stump.

"Guys, I feel...kind of like a demigod."


	21. The Demigoddess

 

 

"How are you a demigod now?" I asked, almost yelled. Skylar shrugs.

"I don't know. I guess...I don't know," she says worried. She starts watching the woods with panic filling every ounce of her bright eyes. I guess Thalia, Annabeth, Frank, Hazel, Reyna, Aqua and Jessica realized we were talking about a demigod, because they started gathering.

"What's this I hear about a goddess turning into a demigod?" Reyna asked. I gesture to Sky.

"Skylar thinks she's turning into a demigod," I say. We look down to Skylar; who is hyperventilating, scanning the forest with wide eyes and an alarmed face.

"Sky, what do you feel?" Hazel questions.

"I-I f-feel like a d-demigod," she stutters.

"No, she means, what do you see? What do you feel?" Annabeth probes quietly.

"I feel less powerful. I feel them watching me. I see things in less of a _Lol, I can totally destroy you_ kind of way. I feel...I feel...weaker." She looks up and we see that her eyes are read and puffy, revealing that she was crying silently. She stands up and would've fallen, except Percy caught her and they just stood there, looking into each others' eyes, and eventually hugging. Percy picks her up again.

"C'mon guys, we have a ring to find," Percy declares. "And we should get back to camp as soon possible." He murmurs the last part. We grab all of our stuff and jog after Percy, who had a small head-start. Skylar starts sobbing-from the pain in her leg or from becoming a demigod, I don't know-and buries her face in his shirt, clutching the leather jacket she gave him. Percy smiles like an idiot.

"I love you, Skylar," Percy whispers.

"I love you, too, Percy," Sky whispers back, wiping away the tears from her eyes and falling asleep on his shoulder.

After walking for hours, we finally make camp around a lake. (Percy pleaded for us to stop by a body of water.) Thanks to Thalia, we had tents for every member of the quest, food, water (obviously) and a place to wash up.

"Oh, thank the gods," I sighed as I stepped into the hot pond.

After Reyna and Jessica helped me pry off Skylar from Percy's neck, we laid her down in her tent. It was the weirdest make shift home I've ever seen. Then again, she is (or was) the goddess of strangeness.

"You guys have the map hidden?" Sky asks stepping out of her shelter. Percy quietly saunters behind Skylar from a distance. He puts a finger to his lips gesturing for me to be quiet about it. He's right behind Sky when he practically grabs her by the waist and spins her around. Skylar screams in surprise and puts her hands on Percy's hands; and they laugh. Laugh like there's no problems in the world at all. They laugh like they are truly in love with each other.

"Percy, I'm serious! Percy!" Skylar tried to complain but failed when she started laughing again against her boyfriend's strong chest, embraced in his protective arms. Skylars' long messy braid swings back and forth as she tries to reach Percy's face. Percy let's go of Sky, and they kiss. Percy cups Skylars' cheek with his hand and rubs it gently with his thumb. They break apart and smile at each other. Then they turn to me, standing hand in hand. Then I realize they're staring at me because Skylar asked me something.

"Oh, sorry, guys. I was thinking of...some other stuff. Yeah, other things," I say nervously.

"No seriously, did you hide the map from me?" Sky asks serious now. I shake my head.

"I don't know where the map is either. It's not in my tent," I answer.

"You don't need the map, Sky," Jess says walking to the hot spring with a towel on her arm.

"Yes, I do, Jess," Skylar replied.

"No, you don't." Jess was starting to prove a point. "You're the former goddess of strange. You should be able to find an enemy of Hades."

"Yeah, just concentrate on an enemy Hades is currently battling," Percy points out. Skylar shrugs.

"Okay." She pulls Percy's hand to the bank of the lake. She whispers something in his ear and walks onto the water carefully. I'm not saying they went ankle deep or anything; they literally walked onto the surface of the water. Percy seemed to grow tired of holding him and his girlfriend up after a while.

"Aqua!" I called. She came running toward me with Frank and Hazel flanking her.

"What is it, Nico?" she asked. I gestured to Sky and Percy standing on the water.

"Your brother needs you, Ms. Jackson," I said with a smirk that surfaced for no reason. She nods.

"Okay," she says and plants a kiss on my cheek. I step out of the lake and watch as Aqua runs on the water to help her brother. Thalia, Annabeth and Reyna have gathered to watch.

I looked to the inner part of the lake to see Sky with her eyes closed and hands raised. I peer closer to the bottom of the lake. A rift in the ground appears under the water, and I realize she's accidentally raising the dead.

"Skylar!" I shout. "You're raising the dead!" She opens an eye and looks down. She slowly puts her arms down, smiles at me, and does a closing gesture with her hands. The rift closes immediately. She gives me the thumbs up and a dumb smirk as she drops to her knees from exhaustion. Percy kneels down beside her, breaking his concentration on keeping the lake solid beneath them and giving his sister all the work. She falls, unconscious, and the lake turns back into a liquid; swallowing Percy, Aqua and Skylar.

"Aqua!" I yell, trying to run toward the lake in my jeans. I fail wen Reyna, Annabeth and Thalia hold me back. I fight them; thrashing, kicking, screaming to be released.

"Let-me-GO!" I scream at the girls. They finally gave up trying to hold me back and let go, causing me to spiral and trip into the lake.

The girl that was once the minor goddess of strange is now a demigoddess with multiple blessings. 


	22. The Waterfall

 

When I finally was able to drag Percy, Skylar and Aqua out of the like, wake them up, and dry them off; I gathered the gang and shadow-traveled off. Skylar kept muttering something about Niagara Falls, so I went there.

"Nico...I can't...I can't....I don't think I can stand anymore," Aqua murmurs in my ear, almost losing her balance. Frank and Hazel caught her before she could fall into the shadows. Jessica held onto her arm.

"What? Why?" I ask. She looks at me with sympathy in her green eyes.What, that makes no sense. Her face is almost as if she doesn't want me to be the last thing she sees...

"I...I can't tell, I-" Before she can finish, she blacks out on my shoulder. Before I can say anything else, I'm standing on a railing; falling forward before I pass out of exhaustion. Falling forward, into the never-ending waterfall.

 

"You think he's okay?" I hear someone ask worriedly. Aqua. I open my eyes fully to see Aqua standing next to me, and Jessica studying me. Skylar, Percy, Hazel, Frank, Thalia and Reyna stand in a circle surrounding me.

"Where's Aqua? What happened after we ended up here? How did I not die from the fall?" I ask trying to stand up. Skylar appears with Thalia and sat me down.

"She's alright, Nico, she just passed out from...I guess exhaustion. Then we dropped her in the falls. After you shadow-traveled here, you passed out and didn't die because Percy saved you by manipulating the water to literally grab you and put you on dry land," Thalia explained. I guess I had a worried face on because Aqua ran to me.

"I'm okay, Nico. Gods, you're so _cute_ when you're worried," Aqua said, sliding to me. I smiled.

"And you're cute all the time, Starfish."

"Ugh, give me a break!" Thalia exclaimed, slapping me upside the head. The whole gang starts to laugh and suddenly we're on the floor laughing harder than Medusa being tickled by her own hair.

"Anyway, back to business," Percy says, holding his lungs together. "Why are we in Niagara Falls? Death-Boy? Nico?" I felt eyes on me.

"Oh, sorry. I was, umm, busy," I mumbled, breaking away from Aqua, probably blushing beet root red.

"Yeah. Making out with my sister is real business of yours," Percy mutters with a smirk.

"Hey, you shouldn't be talking. It's not like making out with Skylar isn't business of _yours_ ," Aqua sneers playfully. Percy's smirk fades.

"You did not!" He yells like a little girl..

"Oh, yes, I did!" Aqua yells back. Thalia, Annabeth, Reyna, Frank, Hazel and Jess look back and forth between me, Aqua and Percy; as if watching a fight.

"Yes, dear," Percy mumbles, his smirk coming back. We stare at him like he just grew three ugly heads.

"Did-you-just-say yes dear?" Hazel asks, in between holding in her laughs. Percy nods.

"Anyway, if you guys are over fighting romantic business," Annabeth says. "Why are we here-Percy! By the gods, _what are you doing?"_ Percy breaks away from Skylar, startled.

"Oh, sorry. I was just seeing what it was like to be Nico's position for a second." Percy faces us, mocking me with a dazed face.

"Look, I am _not_ dazed and crazy like  you," I say, blushing again.

"Yeah, but-"

"Guys, stop it. Percy interrupted the conversation for a good reason," Skylar interjects.

"Yeah? And why is that?" Thalia asks, hands on hips, smirk materializing.

"Well, you see-uh, um..." Skylar looks around the Falls nervously thinking of something.

"Um, well-you see, what Skylar is trying to say is-" Percy starts, trying to save his girlfriend from eternal embarrassment. 

"Save it, bro. We all know you wanted to steal a _few_ kisses from Sky." Aqua emphasizes _few._ "You were proving a point." She held her hand up to silence her brother. 

"That's beside the point," Reyna stopped the awkward conversation from running any longer; I mentally fist pumped the air. "Why are we in Niagara Falls? Is this where the ring is?" Frank pulls his hand away from Hazel's; they have been standing there, together, watching the awkward conversation go on. So basically they've been standing next to each other holding hands, for about as long as we've been fighting.

Jessica stands next to Reyna talking about something with grave faces.

"Um, isn't Niagara Falls on the border of Canada and the U.S?" Frank asks, his brown eyes darting to everybody standing by the rail I fell off of...

"Yes," I reply.

"Then, I can guide you?" It was more of a question rather than a statement.

"Sure. But again why-" Hazel starts.

"You should know why, children of Hades," A voice rumbles in the distance.

"Is that a..." Hazel murmurs. 

"That's a Cyclops," I confirmed. Skylar pushes past all of us and looks the monster right in the eye. 

"Why are you here?" She demands.

"Oh, that's easy!" The monster exclaims. "I'm here because-"

"You'll find the ring where the enemy lies," Skylar and I mumble. My head snaps to Sky.

"How did you know that? Hades told me that in a dream," I whisper.

"I don't know. I guess it just...came to me," she whispers back.

"Guys, if your done doing a weird cryptic message only you two understand, I'd like to destroy this monster." Aqua gestures toward the Cyclops.

"You have something I want." The Cyclops gestures to someone in particular...

"You are _not_ taking away from us," Percy and I growl.

"Why do you want me?" Aqua asks innocently; like a toddler asking its mother why the sun shines.

"Because, dearest Aquarius, you are powerful.  You may not know it yet, but you are even more powerful than your brother," the monster explains. Aqua's eyes glaze over and she starts swaying toward the Cyclops, twin daggers clattering to the stone pavement.

"Yes. Come to me, puny half-blood," the monster persuades.

"No, I can't..." Aqua murmurs, trying to stop herself from sauntering toward the Cyclops. I catch a glimpse at the monsters hand and something gleams silver in the sunlight reflecting off the waves.

"And you have something _I_ want." I point to the ring. The Cyclops glances at it long enough for Aqua to come out of his reverie and she runs to me, hugging me for certainty that I'm here. The Cyclops looks up, blonde dreadlocks catching the sunlight.

"If you will not come to me, I will have to come to you." The Cyclops disappears to behind the waves, (forgot to mention, we were behind the waterfall, away from the tourists.) We thought it was over but that's when we heard the sound of metal coming out of a leather sheath. A sword. I turn around as Aqua lets go of me and walks over to Percy, who is facing the waterfall. He places his arm around his sisters' shoulders and she looks past me, back turned.

The Cyclops pokes his head out a little and smirks as he checks out his sword. He's behind Aqua and it doesn't occur to me of what he might be thinking. The monster smiles evilly, and before Aqua can register what's happening, the Cyclops digs its sword into her back. Aqua's voice doesn't work as she looks down at her gut slowly. The tip of the sword protrudes from her shirt. Her soft green eyes widen Only when the monster yanks his sword out do I see the yellow green goo. Poison from the River Styx. 

"NO!" Percy and I yell at the same time. Aqua falls to the ground, her voice desperately trying to make a sound.

"Now, you will never get this ring without another child of Poseidon!" The Cyclops bellows before it disintegrates with an arrow in its heart.

"Great. Now we're left with a minion Cyclops and like nine other monsters to fight," Ananbeth grumbles.

"What? No." Hazel scans the Falls, searching for baddies.

"Yeah, look. Over there, by that tree," Reyna points out.

"Oh, right," Hazel says, looking at a red-wood tree about fifty feet away.

"Let's just find the ring kill these monsters and save my sister," Percy says, dragging a half-conscious Aqua into a puddle. She groans as the water soaks into her shirt and closes the hole in her diaphragm. A small puddle like that won't help her heal fully.

"I can fight," she dazedly argues.

"No, you can't," Percy said getting up.

"Ah, Nemean Lions, let's just fight these monsters," I growl slightly. So, together, minus one, we fought our way to the Ring of Hades.

Screw the Ring. I don't need it; it's just something that reminds me of my dad. I need Aqua. I need her to survive; I need her to live. I need her not to die.


	23. The Ring

After we fought our way through like nineteen monsters, we finally found the Cyclops' minion. He was pretty easy to find; and pretty easy to lure back to our waterfall.

"Duel," Percy, Thalia and I said at the same time.

"Okay." The minion was a lot more easy to persuade than the Cyclops. He made an arena from the arch of waterfall.

"Now!" Percy yelled. We charged. I summoned dead soldiers, Thalia summoned lightning and Percy called on the great sea...A.K.A he willed the Falls to flood the arena.

"You will lose, little demigods." The monster kept trying to persuade us to give up and die. Haha, fat chance, monster minion.

I stopped the waves of the dead. "How about a deal," I blurted out. Percy and Thalia gave me a look like, _What!?!_ and their mouths were open. The monster nodded. 

"If we win-the ring. If we lose, well, you'll be taking a trip home, bro," I said confidently. He nods again.

"Gentlemen-and ladies-start your summons. Go!" A voice blares through an intercom that has apparently been on the perimeter of the Falls all day. We charge. My dead soldiers plus Niagara Falls water plus lightning bolt equals...death times three. 

"C'mon Nico, we have to win!" Percy encouraged, deflecting a strike from the minion. For Aqua, I thought. I cleared the dead, and slashed at the monster until all that was left was a pile of golden dust. The arena melts away as the monster falls.

"We did it," I murmured. I wiped a bead of sweat of my face. I ran to the pile of golden dust and snatched the ring that was sitting atop the dust. I placed the ring on my finger. Instantly, I felt more powerful; not nearly dying, not passing out from exhaustion, and not depending on people entirely for my life.

"Nico?" Thalia asks carefully. "Do you feel like yourself again?" I nod. To prove my point, I jerk my hand up to create a crack in the floor; similar to the one I made four years ago. The grass around me wilts to a dying shade of brown and souls that escaped through the crack crawl around my feet. I lower my hand, closing the crack and banishing the souls. 

"A simple yes would do," Thalia mumbled.

"Let's get back to Aqua," I worriedly say. Thalia and Percy nod; and we run to the surrounded demigod.

 

"Percy! Oh, gods, Percy you're here," Skylar sobbed into Percy's shirt. He hugged Skylar closer and buried his face in her hair; stroking her to comfort the crying girl as her friend lay on the verge of death.

"Percy. Help her. Please," Hazel pleaded. Percy nods through a face full of curls. Percy lets go of Sky, then walked over to his pale sister.

He whispers, "Aqua, this is going to hurt. Like, a lot." He kisses her forehead and adds quieter, "I love you sis." Aqua smiles a bit; or at least what looks like a smile-could've been a grimace-and reaches for Percy's hand. She clutches it tight.

"I love you too, bro," Aqua groans. Percy grips her hand tight and closes his eyes. He lets go and grabs Aqua's slumped shoulders and pulls her into the Falls. We hear high-pitched screams, pleading, flailing shadows and a little bit of fighting. 

"PERCY! I'm okay, for god's sake," Aqua screams, falling out of the Falls; followed by Percy and his stern "big brother" face.

"You could've stayed longer," he grumbles as he catches up with Aqua, grabs her, and throws her back into the waterfall.

"PERSEUS JACKSON!" Aqua bellowed. I didn't even think she was capable of yelling that loud.

"AQUARIUS JACKSON!" Percy roared. I knew he was talented at doing that. They erupted in this full on Poseidon fight with awesome powers and lots of...well, you get the point.

Eventually, we got Percy and Aqua out of the water and onto land. We checked Aquas' back for the wound, but all we got was a scar that stretched from the back of her heart to her hip. The worst part was the middle of her back; where the sword initially went into her. The poison ran through her body and will leave a permamnent mark. The wound was healed up, but had a yellow tint to it and the skin bubbled; like what my Stygian sword does to human skin. River Styx poison does that; it literally eats up anything it makes contact with; unless you know how to use it. Don't ask how I know, I just do. Long story.

"Guys!" Aqua screeched as we touched the scar and she fell to her knee. We helped her back up and laid her in the puddle she was in before. She starts groaning in agony and slipping out of consciousness. The slightest touch on a wound of River Styx poison can feel like being burned alive when its not fully healed.

As Aqua's eyes begin to droop down, I grasp her hand tight, and she grabs mine; her grip loosening as she passes out in front of me.

I'm sure she couldn't hear me, but I whisper to her anyway:

"I love you Aquarius."


	24. The Death

 

As we carry Aqua back to a safe spot behind the Red wood tree, Reyna notices some movement going through the forest of red trees.

"Do you think it's that Cyclops?" Annabeth asked, paranoid. I nodded.

"Can't be. Thalia shot him after he stabbed Aqua," I reply.

"The end is near," I hear Aqua moan. We all crowd around Aqua again, nearly scaring her half to Tartarus as she wakes up. Percy and Skylar stay behind. Percy probably didn't want to see his sister dying; and Skylar probably wanted to comfort her boyfriend.

"The end is near," she groans louder, as if in a daze. Thalia, Annabeth and Skylar push everybody else out of the way.

"What do you mean, 'the end is near?'" They asked. Aqua is alert now. Reyna, Hazel and Frank are patrolling the area. I guess they decided to watch for monsters.

"I mean, the end is near. What else do you think I mean?" Aqua says, head bobbing. Being daughters of Athena, Skylar and Annabeths' head seem to process this.

"Whose end is near?" Thalia questioned, bow gripped tight.

"I don't know. It's like...it's like I can see-" Aqua said, her eyes closed. Her voice turns into a gasp.

"I can-I-I-" She can't utter the words to come out. Suddenly, there's a screech.

"CYCLOPS!" Hazel's voice. I pull out my sword. Almost immediately, the grass around me starts to wilt, the trees fading a dying brown.

I run at full speed, unaware that Aqua helped herself up and has decided to help us kill the monster. She charges, twin daggers in hand, and leaps toward the Cyclops. It looks confused, but points its sword at Aqua. She dodges, and runs to the back side of the monster, wildly swinging at its legs.

"Aqua! Get back here!" Percy yelled, while simultaneously fighting the Cyclops. Aqua looked back.

"No! I'm fighting this thing whether you like it or not!" she screamed back. Percy struck the monster madly. It had armor tougher than diamonds, with few chinks.

"Aquarius Jackson! Get back, you're in no condition to fight that thing!" He yelled to his defiant-or stubborn-sister. She shook her head.

"Percy, I'm not going to let my brother and friends die before my eyes," Aqua whispers, avoiding her brothers' piercing gaze. Percy grumbles something about annoying younger sisters.

"Guys! We'll shoot it, you attack from behind!" Thalia commanded, her bow pointed up with an arrow nocked in the bowstring; Annabeth's bow is aimed up, to, like Thalia's. We obey like dogs with late reactions.

Reyna, Hazel and Frank fight the Cyclops with their cavalry swords; the praetors-Reyna and Frank-fighting back to back, with Hazel defending their sides. Annabeth and Thalia have their bows directed at the monsters' front side. Me, Percy and Aqua are attacking the back-side of the Cyclops; Skylar is a lonesome warrior, shooting the monster with Imperial Gold, gorogons' blood tipped arrows. Jessica is fighting the other side with what looks like twin swords.

For some reason, the Cyclops isn't dying, even when we hit it in the chinks of its armor.

"You cannot defeat me, little demigods!" The monster bellows. The moment he says that, I automatically realize something.

"Percy!" I beckon the son of Poseidon over to my side. He looks worried.

"What is it?" He asks searching my eyes for something.

"I remember how Theseus defeated this Cyclops," I whisper.

"Talk."

"Well, Theseus was on-" I deflect a strike of sword. "-a quest to find the string of Ariadne, and he encountered this Cyclops. He had to sacrifice one person's soul; he had to sacrifice the soul of the only person in his family. Well, the family that was close to him." I let my words hang in the air as if they were a cloud of heavy rain. Percy looks stunned; I think I know what he's thinking.

  


 

"Percy, it's only because of the blood-line of Poseidon. It's the only way the Fates deal with his children; well, they have other ways, but this is most effective. The truth is: the gods are scared." Percy seems to understand entirely. He shakes his head, and the motion catches the monsters attention. I save him by deflecting another strike. He stares at me in awe.

"What are you staring at?" I whisper ask. He shrugs and closes his mouth.

"What? I can't stare at a good sword fighter when I see one?" Percy replies. "But, dude, you have to tell my sister." Percy lowers his voice to almost the point where it's inaudible.

"No! Are you crazy, or are you crazy?" He shakes his head.

"Please. It's her only chance." I nod like I will do it. The Cyclops apparently summoned more monsters to help his battle.

"Guys! A little help here!?" Skylar calls. I look behind the Cyclops to see an army of baddies. I step behind the big red wood tree and beckon the rest of my friends over to semi-safety.

"Skylar, can you change the scene into an alley?" Reyna asks. We stare at her in surprise; Reyna shrugs.

"Maybe. But if I do, I need Annabeth, Percy and Hazel," Skylar replies.

"What? Why do you need me?" Annabeth questions furiously.

"Ananbeth, calm down. Why are you so furious?" Frank says to the angry daughter of Athena.

"Because-because last time Skylar morphed a place, she accidentally went back in time-don't ask-and-she-she-" Annabeth starts sobbing uncontrollably. Skylar helps comfort her crying sister and mouths, _Tartarus._

"Come on, Annabeth, let's get this over with," Skylar says.

She beckons over Percy, Annabeth and Hazel to meet her in a nook of trees. Sky tells them something and they all start humming; Percy first, since he has the deepest voice; Annabeth second, when I realize what they're doing. They're doing a round. Hazel third; and Skylar last, with the highest voice.

"Um are you-" Thalia started. Her mouth dropped open as the Red wood forest dissolved into an abandoned valley; Niagara Falls bleeding into boarded up buildings.

"She did it, she actually changed a location," Frank whispered into amazement. Reyna and Thalia nodded; Percy, Annabeth and Hazel came back half-carrying Skylar.

"Oh my gods, Sky are you okay?" Reyna asked. Skylar looked up and smiled a Leo like smile-goofy for no reason at all.

"Perfectly fine, Rey. Why wouldn't I be? Just a, you know, a little power to, um change places," Sky answers, head occasionally lolling to the side. We smile in acknowledgement. The happiness spread over us like jam, is washed away by a sense of dread. We notice an army of monsters clustered in the alley's corner.

"C'mon guys, let's fight these evil life ruining monster," I said, annoyed. Everyone looks at me like I'm crazy. "What? I can't make up weird names for evil monsters if I want to." I mumble the last part.

I charge, flanked by Hazel, Skylar, Thalia, Percy and Aqua; Frank, Reyna, Jessica and Annabeth in a line. We attack the monsters with so much force. A sound like a sonic boom is heard and I realize that Percy created a minor earthquake. Hey, he could do that, he's the son of the Earth Shaker. Thalia summons lightning-again-Hazel has her jewels and Frank morphed into a drakon. I decided to pitch in and summon the dead.

The alley began to grow. As if after every step we took toward the monsters, the more different directions and paths appeared in the alleyway. The alley seemed to be trying to separate us from our group.

 

"Skylar!" I yell with no hesitation. "Why is this splitting us up?" From what seems like far away, and a little to the left she answers.

"There's always a flaw in magic, Nico!" She sounds worried and it sounds like she is being overrun by a mob of monsters. I'd like to help her, it's just that I'm stuck in my portion of alley. Then, before I can bang on the walls that have formed around me, they turn see-through; like water in a lake. Suddenly a voice-a female voice-that sounds like it's coming through an intercom, says something surprising.

_I will take your precious lives. I will take everything you love, and I will take the least experienced down; I wil avenge what Athena's daughter did to me. I will send the monster feared by children of Poseidon. I shall send you all to your doom._

_"_ What is she talking about?" I demand, banging a fist on the wall. I see that the dividers that separate us now. I see Skylar, Annabeth and Jessica banging on the walls. Percy and Aqua are staring at each other through the glass. Thalia, Hazel and Frank are having a conversation through the glass. Reyna, who's never shows fear, is _cowering_ in her corner. I guess that's the thing about fear. It demands to be felt.

"The one that Poseidon's children fear," Skylar murmurs, thinking it over and over; the gears in her brain turning. "Percy, Aqua the monster is talking about the Nemean Lion." Percy's head snaps at the name _Nemean Lion;_ he once fought that thing when he was twelve.

"No. It can't be; I defeated that thing when I was twelve!" Percy shouts agitated. He viciously pulls out Riptide and starts slashing at the glass walls containing him. The Celestial Bronze bounces harmlessly off the glass like a bouncy ball.

"Percy, that's not-" Thalia starts; a scream pierces the air.

"Arachne!" Jessica yells. Skylar and Annabeth whip their heads to Jessica and see that her portion of alley is covered in oily, black spiders.

"Arachne!" The sisters yell together. Percy is trying to calm Skylar down, yelling that it'll be okay through her screams; she keeps screaming and crouches down to her knees in a ball, arms covering her face. Her screams become longer and tears are streaming down her face. Percy bangs the glass and looks at Skylar longing, wanting to hold her, maybe. As the oily black arachnids crawl around the glass walls of Skylars' portion, Percy kicks the glass, upset.

There's a moment of silence; the only noise coming from Skylar, Annabeth and Jessica, as they watch the world around them in darkness and hear only the sounds of sixteen thousand legs crawling over one another.

"Percy!" Skylar screams through sobs. "Help me! Please!" Percy looks at her and his eyes well up with rage and uselessness.

More silence. Then-

"Nemean Lion!" Aqua screams; Percy joins in.

"Nemean Lion!"

_What is your fear, little demigod?_ The voice asks me; it turns out the "monster" is really the minor god, Phobos mimicking Arachne's voice. That's how the spiders and Nemean Lions came; that's how my fear is coming now...

The glass that divides us turns to solid stone. It starts flickering from glass to stone, then back again. Finally, the dividers decide they like to be stone; as if changing to glass took too much energy. All of a sudden I hear an earsplitting scream; I'd notice that sound anywhere, if only I wasn't clouded with the thought of my fear...

"Nico! Help me!" I recognize the voice now. It belongs to Aqua. Momentarily, the alley is silent-not even Skylar and Annabeth and Jessica's screams disturb the air. Silence that only belongs to death. _I'm hallucinating,_ I thought. But this is not a hallucination.

This.

Is.

Real.

The dividers seem to melt away from the buildings. Percy looks at me while he's fighting the Nemean Lion, his eyes wild with fear. I look around and notice everything seems to be slowing down; everything that's happening around me are in slow motion.

"Nico! Help her!" Jessica yells. I don't know what she's talking about. Who is her? But then it hits me like a speed ball.

When the fighting is over, and the gang gathers, we hear another cry for help. Percy is first to dash to the sound of his sisters' voice. Then everyone else runs to her, weapons drawn.

"What is going-" I begin. When I get there, she's fighting a hellhound. I help her kill the beast when I see the trail of blood. There is a smile on her beautiful face as she turns around. The hellhounds' paw reassembles itself just a bit and scratches Aqua's back; right where the River Styx poison lies on top of her skin.

Blood seeps through her shirt and doesn't seem to stop.

"Agh!" She cries. Aqua falls to the ground half-conscious. Percy slides to where his dying sister lies and props her head on the leather jacket he wears.

"Skylar! Can't you cure her or something!?!" Percy demands to his shocked girlfriend. She shakes her head slowly as if she were in a daze she couldn;t escape from.

"No even the Golden Fleece can cure this, Percy," she murmurs. I kneel down next to Aqua and stroke her hair. I glance at Percy. He buries his head in her chest and looks like he's having a mental breakdown. I mean, I would to if I witnessed my sister dying before my eyes. (I swear on the River Styx, if you mention Bianca, I will personally send you to the worst parts of Tartarus!)

"Nico," Aqua moans, "it-it hurts so much. I-I-"

"Shh. I-it's okay. You're going to be alright." Percy sounds like he's comforting himself more than his sister.. Aqua rolls her beautiful sea-foam eyes; and points them to her brother.

"No, I'm not Seaweed Brain. And you know it." Aqua turns back to me. She reaches her hand to my face and I hold it there.

"I love you Nico," she hums faintly. I gaze into her dwindling green eyes, which were bright at some point in history.

"I love you too, Miss Jackson," I murmur, my eyes watering, voice cracking. Aqua looks at everyone one last time, and then she stares at me with sympathy in her eyes; as is she was sad for me to have to watch her die.

She opens her mouth to say something, but nothing comes out. Her fading green eyes stare into mine; her breaths becoming short. Then, before she stops breathing completely, she looks up adn smiles; as if happy that I was the last thing she touched. When she closed her eyes, her smile faded. The last thing she will ever see is my face.

Now, the last thing she would never hear get to hear, is my faint whisper of the words:

"I will never forget you Aquarius Sea Jackson Di Angelo.

What we both didn't know is that that's a lie. That one of us will forget the other; that we will forget each other in the process of letting go.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> you made it! (that's a surprise, i could barely make it past the first chapter) congrats! have cookies now   
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